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by electric gurrl
Summary: Eventually, Korra had to choose between balance and love. She chose her Avatar duties, Asami chose Future Industries, and their relationship crumbled. But years later, fate unexpectedly pushes them back together and gives their love a second chance... so long as they can survive their sinister situation. — Korra x Asami. Complete.
1. A Surprise Dinner Guest

A/N: **Some Quick Facts About This Fic  
Chapters: **18.  
**Pairing: **Korra x Asami. [Also: BolinxOpal, KyaxLin and MakoxOC]  
**Rated: **T for suggestive themes, mild coarse language, strong violent references and a serial killer on the loose.  
**Notes: **I'm a Tyzula author, and this is my first major Korrasami, so I hope it turned out okay. The idea has been on my mind for a very long time and I eventually caved in and wrote it. It's a noir-style murder mystery with a heavy focus on romance and takes place several years after the end of canon. It _does _borrow a lot from the vibes and themes of S2, which I always loved despite its flaws, which is why Boleska has a reprisal and a few other odds and ends. Thank you for clicking on this fic and I hope you enjoy the show.

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**Blank Pages**

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_"Sacrifice is a choice you make. Loss is a choice made for you."  
\- Tomb Raider -_

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Chapter One: A Surprise Dinner Guest

* * *

_"No matter what happens, no matter how crazy things get, I'll always try to restore balance."_

That is the promise Avatar Korra made. She never thought she would have to choose between the world and herself. But she knows she made the right decision ─ she chose the world. It helps that when things get hard or too much, or the odds seem stacked against her, to remember the ones she loves. She fights for them.

Korra fights for them, even if she does not see them that much anymore. It has been four years since Korra fought Kuvira. It has been two years since the next great conflict ended. Then a series of smaller ones. And it has been one year since Korra and Asami broke up, right before Korra was going to propose to her. It was not a bad break up or a particularly painful one; they both admitted it was not working out as well as they had hoped.

New conflicts rise and fall. Relationships mostly end, and rarely begin. Korra is always there, and not where it would make her relationships easy. Her friends helped with Korra's journey and the conflicts and enemies they faced, but it was time for their own journeys.

Upon Bolin sending out his engagement announcements, Korra has spent the past eight months in the Fire Nation, trying to pour herself into her duties as the Avatar and get over her break-up. Now she has been back in Republic City for two months.

The letter is delivered as Korra is snoring into her mattress, which is yellowed, fraying and in utter disarray from her lack of a desire to put the sheets on properly. She imagined she would sleep for weeks after what she dealt with, but Republic City needs her too, and she is already spread thin.

Korra has not checked her mail in about two weeks. There are a variety of reasons for that, but none of them are very _good _reasons. She supposes that if the news is important, it will reach her eventually. Therefore, in the end, it is by some stroke of luck that she does not miss the engagement party altogether.

The Avatar rubs white gunk out of her vibrant sapphire eyes, trying to calculate how long she managed to sleep. Her back is sore, her legs are aching and she thinks she only got four hours, which, in Korra's opinion, is not enough.

She forces herself to stand up instead of curling up in a ball and drifting off again despite the sun trickling through her apartment window and stretches. With a few waterless waterbending motions and positions, she attempts to stretch out her cramped body.

Naga takes up half of the bedroom, so... a quarter of the apartment, and she is peacefully snoozing. Korra scowls at her roommate in momentary envy, and then just winds up nuzzling her thick white fur, sneezing, and then rubbing her eyes.

Korra glances at herself in the hallway mirror as she walks towards the apartment door, and gives herself a quick look up and down. Her hair is sticking up all over the place, she is in her pajamas and is lacking shoes, but that does not stop her from walking down the hallway of the apartment building and to her mailbox. Yawning, she opens it and letters come pouring out like a waterfall.

This is not her morning, is it?

She quickly analyzes the envelopes and deems the one from _Bolin _to be the one she opens first. He is the friend she has remained closest to over the years. She sees them all, Mako, Asami, Opal, everyone, every couple of months. She used to spend every waking moment with her friends and Aang's kids and grandkids. But slowly, she became incredibly absorbed in her work, and it became the occasional meetings and going to see movers or maybe a quick walk through the park when Korra had the time.

Asami has even _less _time. Mako works night shifts too often. Bolin always obliterated his schedule when Korra said she could hang out with him.

_"As long as I can convince Pabu to cancel all of his appointments," _was Bolin's incredibly, incredibly overused joke.

When she opens it, Korra laughs. And laughs. And then laughs again.

Okay, this letter has to be a decade late, right? Or something? This can't actually be _serious_.

Bolin... and... Korra needs a telephone. Korra needs a telephone _now_.

"Mako, Mako," she is saying before the phone is even answered. Moments ago she just wanted to go back to sleep, but now she is bouncing from foot to foot.

"Korra? It's five in the morning," is Mako's response. And then he groans. "...you got the invitation didn't you?"

"Is he...? Is this serious?" Korra does not know why she is _smiling _so hard.

"Yes," Mako says with such severity in his tone that Korra cannot help but burst into laughter again. "They seem pretty happy together. Or... something. I can't really tell. I'm also not sure if the brother is a package deal or not."

"This is... this is priceless," Korra says with another chuckle. It may be strange news, but Republic City has never been anything but strange. "I can't believe neither of them told me."

"You did ruin their last wedding," Mako remarks earnestly and Korra rolls her eyes with a small smile.

"I have... so many questions. I think I actually need to write down a list of questions for this engagement party," Korra says incredulously, slowly shaking her head.

"Or, if you write quickly, you can come out to dinner with us tonight. I would appreciate it if you saved me from spending my evening with Desna," Mako says and Korra hesitates for a moment.

Once upon a time, Korra would probably rather have died than spent the evening with her creepy cousins, but she misses everybody so much that it actually sounds like a treat.

"Sounds great, Mako," she says earnestly. It has been a long time since she went out with her friends, and then she feels her gut clench. There is one friend she severely misses.

It has been almost two years since she and Asami broke up, after which they decided to go back to being friends. And now it has been ten months since Korra last even saw Asami, seeing as they both found ways to skirt out of things they previously would have done together. Going back to being friends was really hard when it took so long for them to finally admit to each other that they wanted to be more than friends.

Korra hates how much she misses her. She hates how she keeps all of the little things from their relationship tucked into her underwear drawer because she cannot let it go. Why was it so easy to just be friends with Mako, but so hard to move on from Asami? She thought maybe her work in the Fire Nation, so removed from Republic City, would help her forget. But instead, everything reminded her of Asami. The yellow roses or the little paper animals for sale ─ paper animals Asami used to be very talented at making.

She made a little polar bear dog for Korra that Korra still has.

_"Where's Asami?" Zuko asks, and Korra bites down on her lip. "Oh."_

_"We broke up. It wasn't bad or anything. Clean break... sorta." Korra rubs her neck. She squirms slightly. "I just... being the Avatar just kind of started taking over."_

_"Aang had similar problems with Katara and his family." Zuko is silent for a moment. He always liked Korra, and for three years she had been incredibly happy with Asami. It feels strange to him that they could break apart. "You know, I broke up with Izumi's mother about ten times before we finally stuck it out."_

_Korra smirks faintly. "Really?"_

_"You never know," Zuko says before knowing he should probably change the subject. "So, about the conflict..."_

Korra rubs her face and gets ready for the day, setting aside plans for her dinner out with Bolin, Eska, Mako and Desna. It should be fun, like old times.

She looks forward to it, even with a slight heaviness in her chest that it could be better if Asami were there.

[X]

Later that morning, across town, Asami's tea has gone completely cold. She stares at it for a moment before pushing it to the side and deciding she will make more later. She has been in the Future Industries Office since four in the morning, it is now six, and she has barely made a dent in her work.

The phone rings with a loud trill that startles her to the point of jumping and she answers it halfheartedly.

"Asami."

"Hey, Mako," she says, setting down her pen.

"Do you want to go out to dinner tonight with me and Bolin and the twins?" Mako asks and Asami clears her throat.

"Uh..." Silence.

"Not, not as a date. I didn't mean it that way," Mako replies, nearly having a heart attack. He didn't mean for his words to be misconstrued that way. "I mean because Bolin and I haven't seen you in months and weddings bring people together. Even weddings as weird as this one..."

"I guess I can free up some time," Asami says honestly with a small smile. "It's been forever."

Asami has not seen Bolin and Mako in months because of one person. And it makes her feel silly and ridiculous to not be _long _over her relationship. But it did last for three years, and it was such a long time coming. The painful falling in love, so slowly, more than friends eventually. And then it all had to fizzle out when Korra thwarted yet another war.

But Asami is past that. She has gone on dates... sort of. But it was partially because of her job that she slipped away from her relationship and her friends. Her responsibilities are beyond numerous and Asami enjoys the accomplished sensation of being dedicated.

Maybe she does need a break. She writes down the restaurant and time, and looks forward to hanging out with Mako and Bolin again. They are still the best friends she has ever had or could imagine, even after time and adulthood pulled them all apart.

Asami opens the pages of a notebook, blank, clean, white. She tears one out carefully and begins to fold it. She knows very well she should be working on the deal about her new combustion engines, _but_, the paper animals want her more.

She makes a little Pabu first, and tucks that aside to give to Bolin. Well, now she needs one for Mako, of course, so she folds him a little fox-deer. No good reason other than the fact that he kinds of reminds her of one... if he had horns, perhaps. And then she winds up making one for Eska, a koala-otter, although she debated a _feeble turtleduck_. She is halfway through a polar bear dog when it hits her that Korra is probably not coming.

Asami wonders for a moment if the Avatar is even back from the Fire Nation after dealing with the Red Masquerade Society and their gang war with the Golden Glove Society. The Fire Nation had never _had _gangs before, and Korra was completely willing to help out the puzzled police force and Fire Lord Izumi.

The gangs there sound much fancier than the Agni Kai Triad or the Red Monsoons. Perhaps the use of _society _just makes them classier. Asami's grandmother was always overly fancy. She was born in the colonies, but had a taste for the expensive and authentic to her homeland.

But Asami is a girl of the future, and a girl of blended families and friends of all kinds.

"Miss Sato," chimes in Asami's assistant Kami. "Your client from Sondai is here to meet with you."

"Thank you, Kami," Asami says with a smile and is relieved that she can stop thinking about a relationship that is long, long gone.

It is doubtful to her that Korra still feels the same way. Asami brushes her paper animals into her purse and opens the door for her expensively dressed Earth Kingdom client.

Asami smiles, glad to welcome him, and sits down with her hands clasped on her mahogany desk and her back held high.

[X]

_Korra and Asami are out in the hot summer night, eating outside on the patio of a restaurant. _

_Asami's fingers move faster than Korra can keep track of. The Avatar's wide sapphire eyes are fixated on her manicured girlfriend as she folds the paper. Korra had seen little paper animals around Sato Manor before, but Asami always seemed more into making metal into incredible machines that Korra could barely imagine than paper creatures._

_She finishes and holds up a dead on imitation of a polar bear dog._

_"But, uh, don't let Naga eat it," Asami whispers and Korra smirks. She hands it to Korra, whom hooks it onto the necklace she is wearing._

_Asami's cheeks flush. _

_"So it's always close to my heart, like you," Korra says awkwardly and Asami snickers. "What? That was some romantic sweet talk. I thought for a really long time about that one..."_

_"No, no, I like it," Asami says, her grin spreading. But then she coughs, "Cheesier than Bolin's pick-up lines."_

_Korra rolls her sapphire eyes and then finds herself grinning like an idiot._

_"Now I have to make you something," Korra says and she is terrified by the immediate thought to her mind, which is a betrothal necklace. She quickly pushes that thought aside, and decides to make something a bit more crafty and less intimidating._

_They have only been dating for a year; Korra does not think she can spring the idea of marriage on Asami at this point. While Korra does, eventually, think she might want to marry Asami, the transition from friends to girlfriends has been strange and awkward._

_They walk along the shore after they pay for their food, Korra insisting despite the shopkeeper rambling about the Avatar having no need to do so. _

_"No worries... I have a rich girlfriend," Korra says as soon as they are out of earshot of the waitress, waving her hand dismissively with a very pointed, affected voice, and Asami slowly shakes her head, a smirk growing on her rose tinted lips. Perfectly kissable red lips._

_"Those look so fun," Asami says, seizing Korra's hand._

_"What look fun?" Korra asks, glancing around at the water that is hued amber by the night sky and bright lights of the city._

_Korra and Asami are on a date, one of their first dates after a long day of working on the reconstruction of Republic City. ("Which we never had to worry much about before we had a resident Avatar..." Asami had teased)._

_"Those little paddleboats," Asami says, pointing._

_They are nice, the boats with the cute couples in them, all cuddling as they gently tread the water under metal turtleduck shapes. The tower shines so brightly over it all, lingering like a beacon of the future that is to come, almost as bright as a spirit portal, but made by the hands of humans._

_Clever, intuitive hands like Asami's, which Korra quickly takes in hers._

_"Have you ever drive one?" Korra inquires eagerly, quite a fan of Asami's wild tales of racing in things that probably are not meant to be raced in. She likes to sit as Asami repairs satomobiles and pretend to know what the different wrenches are called as Asami regales her with tales that are probably unbefitting of the classy, well dressed CEO of Future Industries. _

_Asami squirms and Korra can completely tell she is about to try to lie. "I never rode one because, uh..."_

_"You did ride one once, didn't you?" Korra asks, cocking an eyebrow._

_"I might have gone a little too fast and gotten kicked out..." Asami admits under her breath and Korra laughs._

_"Well, as the Avatar, I feel like I can help with this predicament," Korra says, grabbing Asami's hand as they start to slip away from sweat, and tugging her towards the covered dock for the boats with the small line of cute couples._

_"Yes, with your waterbending and airbending, we can go _much _faster," Asami whispers into Korra's ear as a turtleduck paddleboat comes into view. _

[X]

Asami goes home to a giant house, and understands that she appreciates her solitude. Korra never did move in, and Mako's family has since been set up with some high quality real estate with the Avatar, the CEO of Future Industries, a police force hero and a mover star cajoling for what they wanted.

_We are a weird mix, aren't we? _Asami thinks as she contemplates her family.

Family. And she is finally seeing her family tonight, which is extremely exciting.

Glancing at herself in the mirror, she does see that she might possibly need a break. The dark circles under her eyes are more pronounced than ever before, and she is pale as pale gets. Still gazing at her reflection, Asami combs her hair with her fingers before heading to go do something to busy her hands and keep her from losing her mind over an overdue reunion with Team Avatar.

She finds herself working on a pet project. It is not exactly working yet, no matter how much she tinkers with the combustion manifold. Her with a wrench, her making paper animals, her having jitters every time she hosts a social event or charity fundraiser.

_"I love that you can face off with crazy people and shock guys with an electric glove but wring your hands and your-your eyebrows get kinda twitchy too, I only just noticed," Korra snickers with a stupid grin and when Asami turns to Mako he shrugs and looks away, not wanting to confirm that Korra is being honest._

_"I'm a people person," Asami protests._

_"You're an up close with people person. Not a... I don't even know what this is," Mako says and Korra nods reassuringly, planting a damp kiss on Asami's cheek. "Bolin is doing a great job for you."_

_Mako gestures at Bolin and his exaggerated interactions with the guests of the party. And Asami shrugs as Korra wraps her arm around Asami's waist._

When she is finished, she is soaked through with oil, and takes a long, heated shower before readying herself for her night with Bolin and Mako.

_And _Desna and Eska. Which is not Asami's idea of a good time, necessarily, but she _did _make them paper animals and hopefully... uh... something.

[X]

In the late evening, just like Asami, Korra makes herself presentable enough to be seen in public while not throwing elements at bad guys, and finds herself in a cute new restaurant she has never seen before. Mako, Bolin and Korra's cousins are already at a table. Mako is sweating and looks like he would chew off his own ankle to escape, and Bolin and Eska look... strangely enamored with each other.

Korra has known her cousin for a long time, and she actually thinks there might be something genuine between them. Given, Korra has never been the best reader of social situations, in all honesty.

_"A lovable dork," Bolin remarks as Korra is in the midst of her hero's welcome when the battle is over with and the city is regaining its composure after Kuvira's attack, putting up both thumbs as Korra tries to take it as a compliment._

_"I like lovable dorks," Asami mutters in her ear._

_"You would," Korra replies sharply with a flip of her dark hair._

Korra waves, grins, and sits down beside Desna.

"Hello, Korra," Desna says dryly and she murmurs a greeting to him. He looks about as happy to see her as usual.

"How's the Northern Water Tribe?" Korra asks brightly and Desna and Eska shrug simultaneously.

"Boring as usual," Eska says and Korra sees a betrothal necklace on her neck. It is actually pretty impressive, one of the nicest Korra has seen. She did not predict that from Bolin. Then again, she did not ever predict Bolin to get back together with Eska in a million years.

"So, you made the betrothal necklace this time, Bolin?" Korra clarifies.

"Yes," Bolin says, gesturing to it on Eska's neck proudly with a small, smug smile.

"I found it appropriate," is Eska's clinical reply. Korra just nods.

"It's pretty nice," Korra admits with a shrug.

Korra is immensely grateful for the plum wine she is offered, and she leans back with a slow breath filling her lungs. She can feel the coolness of her air brushing through her and she decides to keep the most level head she possibly can in this scenario.

"How did you two even run into each other again?" Korra asks, glancing between Bolin and Eska with a stunned expression.

"I was in Republic City on business," Eska says coolly and Korra could _almost _swear her cousin's cheeks flush slightly with the memory of running into Bolin, but that might just be Korra's imagination.

Bolin finishes, "And we ran into each other and next thing you know, we're dating again!"

"And now we will at last live our life of icy bliss," Eska says and Korra transforms her polite laugh into a polite cough. _Maybe that wasn't a joke... hmm._

Korra rubs her nose as Bolin and Mako direct conversation, although she knows she will have to jump in at some point.

"So, so, the first time Bolin saw you, he says, _who are those lovely ladies_," Korra says with a dead on impression of Bolin that makes Mako laugh. "I, of course, informed him that Desna was a guy. His face was priceless."

Desna's face, however, does not move. Eska makes a sound that Korra _thinks _is laughing, and Bolin chortles awkwardly in time with her. Korra and Mako exchange a glance with cocked eyebrows. There is _no way _this is for real, is the look that they share.

"Bolin, you can't eat that," Eska says as Bolin reaches for some of Korra's komodo-chicken wings. "My feeble turtleduck also has a very feeble stomach."

Korra snickers as Bolin awkwardly blushes.

[X]

_"Onto the turtleduck, my feeble turtleduck," Korra says dramatically, bowing gracefully and taking Asami's hand._

_"Yes, my feeble turtleduck," Asami replies with gusto and equal drama, as Korra steps onto the paddleboat after her._

_"He's never going to live that down," Korra remarks with a small laugh. Poor Bolin._

_"You know, I think it's a great nickname," Asami admits, shrugging. She leans back and a small smile flickers across her face. "_

_She turns and Korra realizes Asami has just noticed her staring, and Korra looks away as fast as she possibly can._

_"I'm not feeble," Korra grumbles to herself as she settles into the turtleduck._

_"Oh, we'll see..." Asami says with a growing smirk._

_Korra narrows her eyes. "We're going to die in a boat crash now, aren't we?"_

_"I am a street racer, Korra. I can handle a paddleboat. Now start waterbending and prove you're not my feeble turtleduck."_

_"I am your... badass tiger-monkey. Or something," Korra says, sitting up on her knees and taking a grip on the amber water._

_"There we go," Asami says, her emerald eyes sparkling. _

[X]

The conversation continues, reaching new levels of awkward. Now, Korra has never been socially adept... _ever_. Being raised in isolation tends to do that. But she does not think she has ever been so uncomfortable in a social situation in her entire life.

Mako looks even worse for wear. Bolin _is _his brother after all, Korra supposes. Pabu looks equally concerned, somehow, as Korra scratches his chin and murmurs that it will all be over soon as she slips him bits of fish.

And then, as if things could not get any _more _awkward, Korra nearly chokes on her cucumber drink when someone else walks inside. She can tell who it is because it feels like the entire rotation of the world just shifted.

"Hi, Korra." Asami somehow manages to speak and Korra suddenly thinks she is the only one not over their relationship. It _has _been nearly two years. Asami probably did move on.

"Hey, uh, it's been so long." Korra jerks upwards awkwardly to her feet, nearly trips over Desna, who does not move his body or face, and pulls Asami into her arms. She still smells like the same sharp, powerful perfume. The perfume Korra would secretly spray on her clothes when she slept over at Asami's house so she could smell them all day, but she never let Asami find out because it was kind of creepy and embarrassing.

During the tight embrace, Korra wonders if she lingers to long, but Asami's fingers dig into her back for a moment, making sure she will not slip away. They pull apart and Korra tries to fight the flush on her cheeks. _No, no, no _broken up, they are _broken up_.

"How was the Fire Nation?" Asami asks warmly, and the social situation is suddenly far less uneasy, despite a broken up couple suddenly being thrust into each other's faces, sitting down beside Bolin. Korra awkwardly returns to her seat and is slightly relieved so see Asami looking mildly panicked.

"Very Fire Nation." Korra rubs her neck and internally curses at herself. "Hot, expensive. And I mean _expensive_. I saw some of the price tags and just pretended I forgot somewhere I really had to be."

Asami laughs, and the night plays on.

Korra thinks she might be falling in love again.

And Mako hopes that is how it will turn out. There _is _a reason he invited them both out to dinner. Because they miss each other, and even a blind man could see that. Even someone as blind to their love as Mako was for so long.

The flush of Korra's cheeks, the curve of Asami's lip at Korra's terrible jokes.

Mako thinks this was very wise of him to set up.

"I brought you all gifts," Asami says, rummaging in her designer purse. She withdraws the paper animals and Desna makes half of an expression of distaste. Eska regards hers with hesitance before nodding once in approval and tucking it into Bolin's pocket as he grins like a kid in a candy store over the ornate Pabu.

Korra does not expect to get a gift. And Asami knits her brow when she realizes that she does not have one.

"I'll make you one," Asami says and Korra is speechless. No one ever taught her what to do in this sticky social situation. Asami picks up the paper menu and cuts it neatly with the dinner knife, and then begins to fold with her nimble fingers.

Asami does not have an animal in mind as she creates it. Just a blank page.

And then it becomes a turtleduck. Asami feels her gut clench as she hands it to Korra, trying not to be reminded of that perfect day amongst the amber water, the lights of the city and the warmth of each other's arms.

"It's beautiful," Korra says, realizing she is still wearing the Naga paper animal around her neck, and as Asami draws herself into conversation with Mako, Korra slides the turtleduck onto the same chain.

This is difficult, she has to admit.

Much more difficult than resolving peace issues in the Fire Nation.

[X]

"Okay, Mako, what was that?" Asami asks fiercely, crossing her arms over her chest. "You could've warned me and Korra that you were inviting us both."

"It's not like you're bitter teenagers who had a bad break-up. You two were really good friends way before you were more than that, and I thought it would be fine for you to have dinner with each other," Mako tries to explain, Asami's bright green eyes still stony and frustrated.

"I love Korra and I was really happy to see her. We had fun. But don't pretend you weren't trying to set something up. I don't like being lied to and tricked, especially by my friend," Asami says and Mako feels his heart pounding.

He hesitates, wondering what the right words to say are. "Korra is still really in love with you." Pause. "And, if I'm reading things right, I think you're still really in love with her. Maybe you guys should give each other a chance again. If Bolin and Eska can give each other a second chance, I mean..."

Asami is silent. She does not want to say aloud how much she agrees with him. It would, somehow, be admitting defeat, and Asami has never liked being defeated.

Her only excuse for not trying again with Korra is that it would be too complicated and too messy for her overburdened life. It is not practical, nor wise, and Asami just wants to do what is best. But it is kind of hard to tell if she should trust her heart or her head at this point.

She looks at Korra playing with Pabu on the side of the street, gathering a crowd of people watching. Korra is showing off his tricks, as Pabu gleefully shows off like a koala otter. It brings a small smile to Asami's rouge lips and Mako cocks an eyebrow.

"Hmph. Alright, Mako... maybe you're right," Asami sighs, peeling her eyes from Korra. "I'll see what happens."

Mako grins, quite pleased with his work.

Asami looks over at Korra again, and the memories feel warm instead of painful for the first time.

Maybe a second chance would not be terrible, if she can navigate it properly.

She tries not to smile as she gazes at Korra, but her lips do not obey her brain.


	2. Romantic Moped Rides

**Chapter Two:** Romantic Moped Rides

* * *

"Alright, well, I like Asami and I think Asami still likes me, if that dinner said anything. And right now I'm not super occupied with the end of the world or anything, so maybe I should ask her out. Or would that be pressuring her? I don't even know." Korra pauses and inhales and exhales deeply.

For the past two hours she has been pacing, then lying down, and then pacing again. The moon has been making its way to an apex as she loses track of time. Korra is tugging at her dark hair as she tries to figure out the proper course of action, knowing that it would be agonizing if she somehow made the wrong move.

The Avatar clears her throat and turns to her love guru. "So, what do you suggest?" Korra asks eagerly, blinking once with her bright sapphire eyes.

She waits patiently for her guidance, but Naga just groans and returns her head to her paws. _Very helpful_, Korra thinks with an audible sigh. Well, it is not as if a polar bear dog is exactly going to have the best advice on Korra's love life.

Korra stands up and starts pacing again, scratching at her nose and trying to think of the best course of action. She _knows _that last night at dinner she and Asami had a spark. Now all Korra has to do is somehow harness it, and it will all work out, and everyone will live happily ever after. The End. Right?

"Okay... I could... send her a letter...?" Korra scowls. "No, I'm never going to follow through with that. Call her... _no_, not that either... I'd panic and hang up right away."

The night continues in this vein, until Korra pours herself a bowl of water, does as many calming bending exercises as she can, and at last manages to fall asleep. But even in her slumber, she dreams of all of the ways that she and Asami could possibly go wrong.

Asami tosses and turns as well, knowing she will not get a wink of sleep as long as she is preoccupied with Korra. She keeps hearing Mako's words, and keeps thinking about the turtleduck made of a paper napkin. Korra held it as tenderly as if it were alive, and Asami knew at that moment that their feelings had yet to die.

Would they ever go away? It took so long for either of them to take action on what they felt for an eternity. And Asami thinks she might never forget what every kiss felt like, and how stupidly in love she was with the best friend she ever had.

To Korra, Asami was not a wealthy industrialist well known and respected by people. To Asami, Korra was not the iconic Avatar. They were together and each other.

Remembering that simply makes this situation more difficult to cope with.

Meanwhile, Mako and Bolin are lounging on Bolin's sofa, as Mako tries to focus on work. It is, however, difficult to focus while Bolin and Eska are having a cringe-worthy romantic conversation right next to him. And Mako thought _he _was clueless in the romance department. The two of them put any awkward relationship to complete shame.

"I have a question," Eska announces flatly and Bolin's eyes light up. Mako glances over his shoulder before deciding she is likely not talking to him. She and Desna seem to enjoy pretending Mako doesn't exist (that is, if they _do _enjoy anything). "I had heard that Korra was involved romantically with the inventor girl. Why is it that they did not express any signs of affection?"

"They didn't work out," Bolin says quietly, shrugging. "It broke my heart. I was rooting for them. I was rooting for them _so hard_."

Mako clears his throat. "Speaking of that, I've been thinking about something a little bit... conniving."

"Conniving how?" Bolin inquires quietly, his brow knit.

"Korra's back now, and you must have seen how she and Asami were. Honestly, I think they need a little push," Mako explains and Bolin squints at him, unsure what his brother means.

"What are you suggesting?" the earthbender inquires, leaning forward.

"I'm suggesting that we try to get them back together," Mako says clearly, shutting the book of grisly pictures and notes. "Or, if not back together, maybe have them give it a chance."

"They do need some interfering," Bolin admits, thinking of the way Korra caressed the paper turtleduck, or how, as Korra did tricks with Pabu, Asami's eyes were on the Avatar and not the Fire Ferret. "So, what's your plan?"

"It's a little complicated..." Mako begins.

[X]

Eska and Bolin arrive on Air Temple Island at sunrise, ready to put Mako's plan into motion. If Operation Get Korra and Asami Back Together is going to work, they will need help, and help is waiting right there for them, in the form of an excitable fifteen year old girl, who has swung down the staircase and dashed over to greet them.

"Hey," Bolin says, smiling as Ikki hugs him tightly. "Is your sister around?"

"Mhm. She's with my dad and aunt," Ikki says, waving for Bolin to follow her. And then Ikki staggers back and squints at Eska. "Hi, I'm Ikki, and you are...?"

"The Chief of the Northern Water Tribe," Eska explains flatly. She then adds, "I am also soon to be bound in eternal marriage with Bolin."

Ikki squints in confusion for a moment before uncomfortably smiling and resuming her walk into her home. Bolin takes Eska's hand in his, realizing at that moment how _unafraid _he is of that statement. It makes him abruptly realize just why Mako wants to do this for Korra and Asami.

Because people change, life moves on, fate pushes you in directions you never anticipate. And Bolin knows that, even if he and Eska didn't work out, as everyone insisted, he would have regretted not giving it a second chance more than it not working out.

Once inside, Bolin explains Mako's plan to Jinora and Ikki, as Tenzin looks mildly confused in the sidelines.

"Korra is back and she didn't even call?" Ikki screeches in disgust. "That's so unfair. I have _so much _to tell her about!"

"We've had... our hands full, anyway," Tenzin remarks dryly, glancing at the _guest _who has recently arrived.

Kya is on the other side of the room pretending to be listening to the radio, but actually listening to the hushed conversation. She popped in unexpectedly for Jinora's birthday last week, and Tenzin cannot imagine being more exasperated. Save, perhaps, if Bumi had decided to make a surprise visit as well.

"Well, yeah, anyway, so we need your help," Bolin says brightly. "I need you two to go to Asami's house and ask her to get tea and do girl things, or something."

"Why?" Jinora asks, looking Bolin up and down.

"Okay, we're going to get Korra and Asami to go on a date," Bolin eagerly explains. Jinora frowns as Ikki removes her eyes from Eska and nods eagerly.

"They broke up for a reason, Bolin," Jinora says quietly. "If they want to get back together, that's their choice, not ours."

"I disagree," says a loud new voice joining the discussion. Kya looks serious, and Bolin does not think he has ever seen her making that expression. "And I bet you anything they regret breaking it off. My mom talked my ear off last year when they broke up, about how much it hurt to see Korra that upset, and how she could think of a thousand ways around their problems. Korra isn't the first Avatar with a girlfriend."

Tenzin looks at Kya and she waits for him to protest. He begrudgingly and coldly says, "I... actually agree with her. If you want to help Korra and Asami, I suppose you came to the right place."

Bolin smiles. "So, Mako was thinking that, if anyone can prove that the Avatar can, uh, be the Avatar, and still have love and a family, it's you guys, right?"

The past Avatar's family is silent, and Bolin continues, "Mako has tasks for all of us that are suited to our strengths. I am, of course, the second in command in this plan of action, along with my fiancee. Ikki, you and your sister are going to do some of the heavy lifting and use your charms to... uh, charm Korra and Asami. Tenzin, you... be Tenzin. And Kya, Mako says he wants to talk to you about an important but secret part of the plan."

Kya snickers and pats her younger brother on the back. "I get a special job_. Unlike _someone..."

[X]

Korra is woken at nearly noon by someone knocking on her door. She furiously rubs her eyes and stretches as she groggily strides over and opens it. Bolin, Pabu and Eska, all standing there, looking well groomed and awake, while Korra has hippo-cow licks galore and is in her crumpled clothes from last night.

"So, Mako and Eska and Jinora and me have a plan," Bolin says brightly, skipping over pleasantries and jumping right into his mission. "You are going to ask Asami out."

"That's... well..." Korra rubs her eyes and steps aside to let the couple and fire ferret in. "That's not really an option, I think. I don't think she's that into me."

"You have to be brave," Bolin says, jabbing a finger at Korra. "We've already devised a foolproof plan. And you better get going because it starts in less than an hour."

Korra squints at them both as Naga makes a grumbling sound behind her.

"I don't have anyone to, uh, babysit Naga," Korra declares, cuddling up against her polar bear dog and raising her eyebrows hopefully.

"Naga," Bolin says firmly, "is going to have a play-date with Pabu. _You _are going to have a romance date with Asami."

Korra scowls for a moment. "Well, uh... I don't... have another excuse ready. Hmph. You got anything, Eska?"

"I believe that you and Asami have a strong physical reaction to each other, and Bolin and I both agree that you both should act on it." Pause. "And take pictures."

"That... part was unnecessary, uh, dear," Bolin whispers to his fiancée as Korra snorts and is hit by a small burst of silent guffawing.

"I had assumed you wanted me to ask when you mentioned it to me last night," Eska says dryly and Bolin squirms with a flush on his cheeks. "Is it not a cultural custom here, taking pictures?"

"Not outside of certain boroughs and shady stores," Korra teases with a lopsided grin, much to Bolin's further embarrassment.

And then her smile fades when she thinks about the fact that Asami is most likely going to turn her down. Why would someone as smart and successful as her let herself get into such a painful situation again?

"So, you and Eska will go to the teashop where Asami always gets her drink on the way to work," Bolin says brightly, waggling his eyebrows in pride of his plan. Korra has to admit it is not half bad, if a little bit creepy. "And then, hopefully, Asami walks in, and _bam_, you get talking, reminiscing, _ask her out_."

Korra frowns and Bolin sighs and tugs at his thick, dark hair. Eska stares blankly at both of them, only serving to make the situation _more _uncomfortable.

"Okay, _but_, Asami is smarter than all of us. What if she figures it out?" Pause. "She _will _figure it out."

Pabu screeches and Korra shoots him a glare. Bolin gestures at the fire ferret pointedly. "_See_, even Pabu thinks that you need to stop complaining and go get the girl."

"I did get the girl. And it didn't work out," Korra admits and Eska glances between both of them.

"Korra does make an educated and reasonable point. Her relationship most likely failed because of deep personal issues that I am sure she has yet to repair," Eska says, sounding like she is reciting from a book. Korra is not sure if she should take it as an insult or not, as usual when dealing with her cousin.

"Our relationship didn't work because of big issues too. And then we ran into each other in a park and it's like whole new people," Bolin insists, pointing frantically at Eska with a hopeful expression. Korra chews on her lower lip.

"Okay," she finally agrees and even Eska looks mildly startled. "If you and Eska can get back together after all of those years and live happily ever after in icy solitude, I can try to make things work again with Asami. I mean, if _you two _happened, anything could. Let's go."

Korra rubs her neck and tries to ignore the flutter bats in her stomach.

[X]

Meanwhile, across town, Asami is working on a project she knows will never have a conclusion. Goals, deadlines and clear objectives always have been her best friend as an engineer. So when she saw the decrepit satomobile moped on the side of the road for free, everything within her told her that it would be a waste of her time and it looked beyond repair.

Nothing in it was functional. The engine had, at some point, been replaced by a broken flower pot stuffed with smooth, pearly rocks. And that was the _most _functional part of the vehicle. The rubber on the wheels was in an incredibly sad, melted state.

It is still, after three weeks, nowhere near functional. Which is definitely the longest it has taken for Asami to figure one of these out since her dad told her what a socket wrench was. She supposes that part of her doesn't _want _to finish working on it, because the project has no correlation to her future, her business and the life she is trying to build.

She drops her wrench in shock when she hears a pounding on her door. It is at that moment, as she gets up and scurries to answer it, that she realizes how exhausted she is. Her worries about Korra and her conversation last night with Mako have kept her thought spinning incessantly.

And there, at the door, are Jinora and Ikki of all people. It has been a long time, since, although Asami has always considered them to be her close friends, they mainly were associated with Korra, and after their relationship ended, there were not many scenarios pushing them together.

"Hi, girls," Asami says warmly, stunned to see them. She has to admit she has not had much human contact outside of business now that she is in a crunch time for a new prototype that she must present to investors in two weeks. A dinner with friends, and now Jinora and Ikki is a drastic shift in her lifestyle of late.

Asami stands awkwardly before Ikki leaps into a tenacious embrace, and Jinora hesitantly joins the hug that nearly sends Asami crashing to the floor. As she regains her balance, and hugs the teenage girls, Asami's shoulders shake with laughter.

"You look awesome," Ikki says brightly and Asami mumbles a thank you. "Do you want to go out for some tea and shopping with us? Bolin says you're really, really overworked with that deadline, and so we thought we'd help out."

Asami blinks a few times and tries to sort her thoughts before replying, "Sure. I'd love to."

[X]

Korra waits anxiously at Asami's regular teashop as she wrings her hands and allows her drink to get cold.

"So, you are completely willing to face off with dark spirits and giant lasers, but not talk to Asami?" Bolin says and Korra frowns at him. "I'm not insulting you. Talking to girls is hard."

"Have you been communicating with other women, Bolin?" Eska asks and Bolin briefly looks more nervous than Korra. "I am making a joke and you are allowed to laugh."

Bolin and Korra exchange a glance, but before they can speak, Korra hears Ikki talking at great lengths about everything and nothing.

The Avatar looks up and her heart skips a beat as she sees that Asami is next to them, nodding along, but looking as if she has no idea what Ikki is talking about.

Asami stands in line and Bolin nods at Korra frantically.

"Go talk to her. Go," Bolin says urgently and Korra contemplates it for a moment before ducking beneath the table. "... or hide under the table."

"I'm not hiding," Korra replies sharply, as she peers at Asami from below. "I'm just ─ uh ─ I hide under tables to prepare myself for important conversations. It's an Avatar thing."

"Well, when you're ready, I guess," Bolin says as he sips from his drink. But as soon as Korra looks away, he waves at Asami, catching her attention.

She strides over, smiling at her friend, and then freezes in place.

"Korra?" she asks, kneeling down and coming face to face with the girl under the table.

"Asami! So great to see you," Korra says, flashing a horrified smile. "What a surprise. I'm just... uh... picking up some spilled sugar off of the floor to... make Republic City a nicer place."

Of that, Asami is very skeptical, but she thinks Korra hiding from her is kind of cute.

"Do you want to come up and join the world of humans?" Asami asks quietly and Korra hesitates for a moment before wiggling out from under the table and sitting down.

"The weather is great," Korra says and then sees the grey skies and the drizzling rain. "Ugh... ignore that."

Asami smiles slightly at her, trying to hide the fact that she feels just as awkward as Korra.

"It's weird running into you," Asami begins, and before she can follow through with her sentence, she turns and sees Ikki and Jinora watching the scene with wide eyes. "I think we just got tricked. Do you want to go outside where we don't have an audience?"

Korra nods, glances at Bolin with fear in her sapphire eyes, and then promptly follows Asami beneath the roof to stay out of the rain.

"You came here for a reason, I bet," Asami says, her mouth dry and her heartbeat racing.

The Avatar pauses before remembering herself. Bolin was right; she is braver than hiding under a table to avoid her ex-girlfriend. And she is brave enough to try to ask her out.

"I was wondering if, uh..." Korra glances at the window and contemplates escape before breathing in and out. She is the Avatar, she is brave, and she can handle this. "I was wondering if you would like to... do an activity together?"

Korra wants to run back to hide beneath the table as Asami bursts into a fit of laughter and squeezes her emerald eyes shut. As soon as she calms down, she looks at Korra and replies, "I would very much like to do an activity together. How about you come by my place tonight? It'll be fun."

"Awesome. Great," Korra says quickly before realizing she probably sounds _too _excited about it.

Asami tries her best to conceal her excitement.

Her excitement combined with fear, that is.

[X]

At the Republic City Police Station, Mako labors over his files, and the complicated set of information that he cannot manage to connect together for the life of him. He thinks he preferred working on preventing Triads from illegal activity over the murder desk. Republic City is a gruesome place, in ways that even as a kid on the streets, Mako does not think he understood.

He is waiting for a clue on the copycat killer he is tracking, and waiting for Chief Beifong, _and _waiting to hear from Kya. The fact that he is so concerned about Korra and Asami definitely detracts from his ability to focus on the murders.

Work. He should focus on work, instead of playing matchmaker with his friends.

However, he is quickly snapped back into his Korra and Asami plan when there is moderate commotion in the station. Mako stands up and peers through the blinds of his office to see Kya, finally here. She is at least an hour late, and Mako was assuming she would not show up.

"I'm here to see Mako," Kya says as she brushes past Lin and the rest of the confused officers. The chief opens her mouth to protest, and then decides it is not worth her time and returns to paperwork on the murders.

Mako clears his throat as she enters. "I'm glad you could make it."

"You certainly take setting up your friends pretty seriously. Maybe you should lighten up," Kya suggests, cocking an eyebrow. Mako clears his throat again. "Bolin says you think that my family could be helpful, because Korra and Asami broke up over Avatar duties, or whatever?"

"Yes. And I was thinking you could be even more helpful," Mako says as Kya starts examining the board stuck with pins on the Agni Kai Murders. "Korra and Asami are going on a date tonight; Bolin just called. Jinora and Ikki already convinced Asami to go to Narook's Noodles. I was thinking you could... maybe... do something a little less than legal for me."

Kya nods. "I'm listening."

"I was thinking you could call in an anonymous tip and therefore give me an excuse to go on a stake-out at the restaurant. You'll come too. Then we have a really good excuse to help guide the conversation between Korra and Asami in the right directions," Mako says, drumming his fingers on the table. Kya chews on her lip for a moment and he thinks she might say no.

"Until Lin decides to go on the stake-out and just ruins the entire date because she has no sense of romance or humor," Kya remarks and Mako sighs. "I like you. And I like them. Therefore, yes, I will break the law in order to set up a young lesbian couple. Hmm... sounds less savory when I say it out loud like that..."

[X]

Korra and Asami both spend more time getting ready than they ever imagined they would. Their previous dates were nerve-wracking, but they both felt so comfortable with each other as friends that it was easy. But after so long, it feels impossibly hard.

At last, Korra is happy with her appearance, and she takes off to Sato Manor.

Asami is pacing at the front door when Korra arrives, and they both look at each other, stunned, as if this is not real. And then they hug, both wondering what the nature of the embrace is. Asami slides away first, and takes Korra's hand in hers.

"So..." she says before trailing off.

"So..." Korra replies, licking her lips.

"Do... do you want to come see what I've been working on?" Asami offers, remembering how much Korra liked to sit around her garage and pretend she knew what the different tools were. They would laugh and enjoy their quiet moments together outside of the public eye.

"I would love to," Korra says eagerly, and Asami nods before leading her date further into the mansion.

"Welcome... to my pet project," Asami declares dramatically with affected gravitas. Korra shakes with silent giggles as Asami steps backwards towards the object beneath a curtain, her teeth firmly dug into her rosy lower lip.

"What is it?" Korra inquires slowly as Asami throws the oil stained curtain off of her pet project. And Korra's jaw drops in surprise. "That's... _nice_."

"Nice? That's all I get?" Asami asks with a small laugh. "This is the ultimate cure to insomnia, Asami Sato's officially dead archaic satomobile that has nothing going for it but a really nice paintjob."

"Might want to shorten the title for the magazines. I'm sure they'll be all over it," Korra says excitedly as she runs her hand across the hood. "And its _new _nice paintjob." She examines the red streaks all over her hand and cocks an eyebrow. And with a quick flex of her hand, the paint is gone from her hand, floating in bubbles of fire red through the air.

She guides the paint with her waterbending to the overflowing trashcan in the corner and bows pointedly. Asami smiles faintly, relieved that this is less awkward than she worried it would be. Korra grins and they both stand there, awkwardly smiling at each other, unsure whether they would stop or not.

Asami breaks the gaze first and Korra breathes a small sigh of relief.

"So, how about I take you for a ride on a _not broken _moped?" Asami suggests and Korra nods. "Then I was thinking Narook's Noodles and then just seeing where it goes." And then Asami's eyes flash as she realizes what she said. "_Not _in a sexual way. I didn't mean it that way."

Korra cocks an eyebrow in response, remarking, "And if I want it to be in a sexual way?"

Asami's lips spread into a small smile as she brushes past Korra silently, patting her shoulder as she heads to her second garage. The Avatar shakes her head and scampers after her date.

[X]

Korra is clutching Asami from behind, clinging on for dear life with her mouth clamped shut in hopes not swallowing bugs. The moped is uncomfortable, but Asami is very cozy to be pressed against. Pale moonlight shines on them, and the air smells like fresh rain. The streets are slick from the earlier rainfall, but the beautiful night is still not as beautiful as Asami.

Asami is very aware of Korra's breath on her neck as they cling to each other. She cannot help but feel clever for suggesting mopeds over racecars, because, admittedly, the contact feels wonderful. But on the forefront of her mind, she is consistently thinking about how she and Korra's relationship deteriorated over the years.

The things that broke them apart were so powerful and significant. And even though Korra's chin on her shoulder is the best feeling Asami has experienced in months, she also knows that she should know better.

Korra doesn't want to know better.

"Here," Asami says as she quickly rounds a corner. Korra digs her hands into Asami as she tries to keep from toppling over. "I was thinking a scenic route might be nicer."

The Avatar raises her eyebrows as she looks around at the glistening indigo water of Yue Bay. Asami slows down slightly, and Korra notices how they are almost alone on this road.

"Don't drive too close to the edge," Korra blurts out and Asami laughs. "What?"

"You don't trust me at all driving, do you?" Asami shakes her head slowly. "I trust you and Naga."

"Naga won't dive first over the edge of a cliff," Korra says and Asami shrugs.

"I'll try not to. Sometimes, though, I do just get that urge to drive off of a ledge and see what happens," Asami teases and Korra rolls her eyes. "Or to run over pedestrians..."

"I believe that part," Korra remarks and Asami makes a sound of protest.

"You hush," Asami murmurs in response and they continue their drive in peaceful silence.

[X]

Meanwhile, Kya begins dramatically, "Alright, we are newlywed Kama Moto, retired Red Monsoon and expert waterbender, and Zi Soto, stony-faced woman with no sense of humor, who Kama definitely calls ZiZi─"

"_No_. We are three people who are going to sit quietly at a corner booth and look inconspicuous," Lin interrupts coolly, already regretting not telling Mako and Kya to go home and let Lin carry on her stake-out in peace.

Lin showed up on the rainy grey streets in front of Narook's in plainclothes and with a mission on her mind. Mako, who asked if he could join her, as he has been working the case for four months now, had a woman in tow when she met up with him. And with a sigh, Lin decided the extra company wouldn't hurt her work, and that Kya is a very talented bender who wouldn't slow them down if it all goes wrong.

And now she sits at Narook's Noodles, thumbing through a menu as she listens to Kya and Mako debate if she wants to order the calamari loudly, with an incredible amount of passion for discussion of fried tentacles. Lin, at this point, wants to stab her eardrums with one of the chopsticks.

The drizzle of rainfall _plinks _and _plunks _against the ceiling, and the room is humid enough to suffocate Lin. Yet, she needs a lead, _any lead_. It was an anonymous informant who enabled her mother to bring down the original killer half a century ago, and Lin is praying for a reprise.

"Okay, he looks _suspicious_," Kya whispers into Lin's ear, ripping her from her reverie. "Right?"

Lin can only stare and remind her, "You're not involved in this stake-out.

"Loosen up. It's just police work," Kya admits, grinning.

"This is my best lead at this point, and you promised you wouldn't do anything that would jeopardize my work. This is very serious," Lin responds coolly as she decides upon what to order.

Kya sticks her tongue out and Lin does not even have the energy to roll her eyes. Grown woman. A grown woman.

"There they are," Kya hisses to Mako and he suddenly perks up.

Something tells Lin that Kya is not talking about the suspects in the murder case. Chief Lin Beifong cranes her neck calmly, and then looks at Mako with the disapproving glance that always makes him want to straighten his shoulders and apologize profusely for anything he has done wrong since he was five.

"You two are here to watch them, aren't you?" Lin asks, fighting the urge to roll her eyes.

"Solid detective work, chief," Kya replies with a smirk and pointed wink.

Lin closes her eyes. "Mako, is this true?"

Mako makes a small groaning sound in the back of his throat.

"Yes, Chief Beifong," he admits begrudgingly, as Kya's smirk only widens. "I might have had personal and ulterior motives for asking to help on the stake-out."

"In our defense, we wanted to," Kya adds and Lin clenches her jaw tightly.

But before Lin can ask Mako what insane thought was going through his mind, Korra waves boldly at the trio, jabbing Asami's shoulder and pointing.

"Guys," Korra says, she and Asami walking over to their table. Lin thinks her jaw might shatter at this point, because the Avatar and CEO of Future Industries are going to draw attention, and there is no way Lin is going to be able to follow her lead. "It's so great to see you all. Can we sit here?"

"Yeah," Mako says, sliding across the booth to make room. Korra and Asami dive into the open space and both of them could not be more relieved to have run into friends on their date. It will definitely cut down on the discomfort.

"So, Korra, you completely stayed out of contact," Kya says, cocking an eyebrow. "How was your Fire Nation world-saving adventure?"

Korra shrugs. "Not bad. I like their soap. The Fire Nation has nice soap..."

Kya tries her best not to cringe at the poor girl and her romantic obliviousness, but Asami jumps in with, "I _know_, right? My grandmother used to order it in bulk."

Mako exchanges a glance with the older woman and Kya discreetly nods at him. That's love. She definitely thinks Mako is on to something, and she is not regretting this decision for a moment.

"And Asami, you've been up to some interesting things. I read your interview in Republic City Weekly while I was on the trip here from the South Pole," Kya says, gesturing to Asami.

"It was really nothing." Asami blushes and Korra gently elbows her.

"Don't play humble. You know you're everybody's favorite celebrity."

"Not everybody's," Asami insists.

"Well, you're my favorite celebrity, and my vote counts for all of my past lives too. So, you're over one hundred people's favorite celebrity," Korra says with a cocky grin and Asami smiles back. "I guess enough about us famous people. Why are you three here?"

Kya says, "We're on a stake-out for a dangerous criminal."

"Say that a little louder. _Please_," Lin mutters to herself.

Korra and Asami exchange a glance. "I've been back for three days."

"Never a day's rest for Avatar Korra," Asami says with a slow shake of her head. "But, what would a date with Korra be without the possibility of grisly death?"

Korra laughs, and tries to hide how thrilled she is to hear Asami say _date_.

[X]

"Our man didn't show up," Lin remarks as she and the quartet of loudmouths leave the Water Tribe restaurant. "I'm going to pretend it was because my informant was wrong."

"Instead of?" Kya asks.

"Instead of because of the four of you laughing like hyena-monkeys and shouting about police work and being the _Avatar_." Lin and Kya exchange a glance before they round the corner onto the dark, slick streets.

Korra glances over her shoulder and gives a toothy smile of apology. Lin, however, remains stoic.

"I had a lot of fun," Asami comments as she walks beside Korra. "We should maybe do an activity together again."

"I would love to maybe do an activity together again," Korra says instantly, hoping her reply does not sound too eager.

They are about to hold hands with suddenly Korra tears herself away. Asami is confused before she hears the shouting, and the bloodcurdling scream of a woman echoes through the night. Korra, Asami and Mako start running, and Lin and Kya pick up pace as well, springing into action.

In an alleyway, a corpse lies on the ground, and Korra tries to distinguish who the perpetrator is. A messy scuffle is going on between a woman and man, and Korra quickly lifts water from the storm drain nearby and tries to stop the ruby fire licking the sky.

But it comes down on the woman just as Mako lunges to tackle the man. They all missed...

Korra's heart speeds up as she turns to face the assailant, seeing that he is masked, and the minute Korra grabs a chunk of earth, his eyes flash and he starts running, recognizing her as the Avatar.

"Well, there's our suspect," Lin says as she attempts to cuff him before he can escape.

But he tosses from his hand a burst of flames that knocks the metal back towards its wielder. Lin starts to move forward, but sees Korra rapidly bending elements, Asami at her side, and realizes the wisest move is to call in other officers.

"Kya, check on those two!" Lin orders and Kya does not protest, as she summons ice daggers in one hand to protect herself, and water to heal in the other.

Asami doubles back to Kya as Korra and Mako are locked in combat further down the street. She sees Kya avert her eyes after checking the pulse of the two mutilated bodies, and then hears quiet crying. The engineer steps forward cautiously and follows the sound to behind a dumpster.

There is a little girl, who cannot be more than four or five, sobbing. Asami looks at her, then is struck by unwelcome images of her parents. Squeezing her eyes shut, she knows she needs to be strong, and she extends a hand to the girl.

"My name is Asami and I want to help you," she whispers and the girl gazes at her for some time before accepting her hand.

As Asami emerges from the alleyway, she sees the murderer fading, going further and further away.

"This can't be serious," Kya breathes in disbelief as Korra runs after the perpetrator. Asami grabs the young girl by the hand and passes her off to Mako before dashing after her date.

"Why can't it be serious? You jeopardized the stake-out with your ridiculous plots to get those two back together," Lin grumbles as she tries to locate a police telephone to call in back-up and people to examine the bodies.

"It can't be serious because that anonymous informant was me," Kya admits, her voice distant as she is unable to rid her mind of the bodies, and the panic of the moment. "I wanted us to bump into Korra and Asami."

Lin opens her mouth to complain, then closes it and walks to the pole with the telephone hooked to it to call for aid. They just saw a murder, and Lin has better things to do than bicker with her old friend.

[X]

At the police station, the little girl is sitting at an interrogation table, as officers remain at the crime scene piecing together the murder itself and taking care of the bodies. Lin, Kya, Korra, Mako and Asami returned to the office as soon as they lost their perpetrator.

"So, what's your name?" Mako asks brusquely, his tone urgent, and the little girl is silent. Asami is next to her, the small child having not let go of her hand for the entire journey to the police station. Korra is pacing angrily as Kya tries to calm her down in the other room. And Asami has been trying to keep the situation as calm and wise as possible, before anyone has a knee-jerk reaction.

Lin walks in. "Mako, go outside."

He reluctantly obeys, and Lin sits down in front of Asami. She pushes the little girl a chipped porcelain cup of sugared mint tea.

"Hi," Lin says and Asami is stunned by her warm tone. "I'm Chief Lin Beifong, and it's nice to meet you...?"

"Yumi," the girl replies quietly and Asami is yet again stunned.

"Yumi," Lin repeats, nodding. "I want you to know that you're safe here. I'm not going to let anything happen."

"You run it here?" Yumi asks softly, tilting her head to the side.

"Yes. I'm in charge of this whole station." Lin pauses and watches the nervous demeanor of the pint-sized witness. "It's okay to be scared."

Yumi purses her small lips and Lin studies her for a moment.

"It's _okay to be scared_," Lin continues, "but right now you're surrounded by strong people who want to help you. The Avatar is right outside, Asami is an extremely talented fighter. You're going to be okay."

Asami swallows. She has never been complimented by Chief Beifong, even indirectly like this. Yumi clings onto Asami more tightly, holding her with a steel grip.

"I want..." Yumi hesitates and Lin listens intently. "I want to go to sleep."

"That's fine," Lin says, although she wishes Yumi had been more forthcoming about her attacker. "Do you have any relatives?"

Yumi shakes her head. "Just my mom and dad."

Asami's lower lip trembles. She saw the fire coming down on Yumi's mother like a burning blade, and she cannot get the image out of her head. Except her own mother is in that stranger's place. Her father's corpse instead of the man in a business suit.

"I'll take her in for tonight," Asami says abruptly. "If it was a personal attack, they might come back for her. Korra and Mako can stay over too."

Lin hesitates and nods. "That sounds wise, if Yumi is alright with it."

Yumi nods and Asami looks through the glass window in the door, her eyes falling on Korra.

Destiny is a funny thing.


	3. Night Watch

**Chapter Three:** Night Watch

* * *

Cricket-locusts chirp madly in the background as four adult figures and one small child arrive on the front steps of Sato Manor. A jingling of keys echoes in the night, and then cursing under the breath of the slender woman with her knee against the dark red door, and at last, the hinges pop open and the five silhouettes walk inside.

Korra rubs her nose as she is met by the cool air of the mansion, and Mako quickly closes the door behind her.

"This is a nice place," Kya remarks, looking around Asami's home. Korra nods solemnly and Asami is in too much shock to speak, while Yumi clings to her like an elbow leech. "We should lock the doors and keep ourselves restricted to one or two rooms."

"I agree," Korra says with a sharp nod. "But it's not like the four of us couldn't take them..."

"We have no idea who's behind the murders," Mako says as Asami struggles to lock the door while navigating around Yumi. "I think that precautions are pretty smart. Why don't we try the main living room?"

"Sounds good," Asami replies decisively, gently tugging on Yumi and guiding the other three adults towards the heart of her home.

They quickly snap into action setting up their center of command, and grabbing blankets and pillows for sleeping. That is, if anyone can sleep after what they saw tonight. Asami finally frees her sweaty arm of Yumi when she sets her on the sofa and tucks a blanket around her.

Once they have created their base of operations, they look around and spring into strike mode. Yumi looks confused by it all, her hands in her mouth as she looks at these people and latches onto Asami. The CEO of Future Industries is the only person in the world that Yumi trusts right now, and everyone has to admit that Asami is taking it reasonably well.

"Any phone calls?" Kya suggests, looking at the adolescents who seem to know much more about this than she does.

"Someone call Bolin and make sure Naga is okay," Korra announces as she attempts to figure out the lock of a window. It winds up snapping in her hands, and with a flash of her sapphire eyes she quickly metalbends it shut before anyone notices.

They finish sealing the house as Mako gets a hold of his brother and tries to ignore the coughing on the other line. Korra blushes and mouths, _"It's shedding season." _

And then, there is silence. Awkward, massively uncomfortable silence.

"Why do you think we'd be followed?" Korra asks Mako, staring at him.

"Because of Yumi. She's a witness," Mako says and Asami belatedly clamps her hands over Yumi's ears. "And also because this guy or girl or whoever is something we've never dealt with before. Anyway, we have to protect Yumi, and we have to protect ourselves too."

No one can disagree with that. "We should set up a watch for the night," Korra suggests, nodding towards the fenced patio.

Mako nods. "Good idea."

[X]

Kya and Korra have first watch, and Korra is on edge as she paces. She wishes she had information on whoever this killer is, seeing as she is the _Avatar _and it is her job to protect people. But sometimes she feels spread too thin, and unable to keep up with what the world expects from her.

Silent. Too silent. Silent.

Korra stiffens as she stands outside in the brisk night, keeping her guard up. Hopefully it was just a ratcoon prowling around, or elephant rats or, basically any rodent and not a human serial killer or Triad Member. She and Kya are alone, and Korra swallows as she thinks about her date with Asami earlier.

"You're a couple of cute kids," Kya remarks softly as her eyes flicker around the vast backyard. Small talk would make this much more comfortable.

"It's also really cute how all of my friends are trying to trick us into dating again," Korra replies, cocking an eyebrow with a smug smirk on her chapped lips. And then Korra sighs. "I think about her every night before I fall asleep. It's so... it's so _stupid _really."

Kya chuckles and Korra shoots her a murderous glare. "I think she likes you too, given all that hand on your knee action under the table."

Korra stifles a laugh in response to that. Gravel crunches and Korra and Kya both turn in the direction of the noise, analyzing it carefully. There is rustling in the underbrush and then silence. Korra clenches her jaw, furrows her brow, and tries to focus on her job tonight.

"I honestly," Korra admits, rubbing her face and wondering why she is being so _open_. "I honestly spent a really long time with a crush on her and... I just never thought it was mutual until later. I missed her the most when I was at the South Pole, really, even deformed snow sculptures reminded me of her."

Kya looks bewildered and amused as she replies, "I would advise you against using that as a pick-up line."

Korra taps her fingers on one of the large stone vases.

"It was really amazing, going from friends to like this, this _really _heated love. The kind of love that makes me feel like there's nothing else in the world but her," Korra admits slowly, her mind drifting away, across a sea of memories. "But of course our relationship had problems... We had a lot to work out and I..."

Korra shrugs and starts pacing again, occasionally using a small flame to illuminate the nearing woods.

"Well, yeah, that flutter bats in your stomach feeling dies every time," Kya admits, the feelings of nostalgia to her old, wild days washing over her. "Relationships take work. The good ones are worth the work."

And Korra frowns for a moment. "Asami and I had enough to work on. It used to be, way before I think either of us even realized what we wanted, that I was just some loudmouth Avatar who was a friend before the said loudmouth Avatar. And that was before she was a... businessperson. She was just a street-racer with really confusingly shiny hair."

"Alright, so then you became adults, with real responsibilities, and no clue how to do those responsibilities. I'm glad you two didn't make sacrifices."

"What? That's, mainly when I think about it, I think I should've sacrificed some of my life to fit in better with hers. I'm the Avatar and I can..."

"And you're still just a person, with a hippo-cow lick that just uh, you know, in your hair. Sacrifices come back to bite you. So, there's one thing your relationship did right," Kya says and Korra wishes she had a wise, humorous and free-spirited lesbian mentor. _Maybe she does_. "Mako and those friends of yours said that my family should talk to you. If you don't want to be with her, if you think it'll take too much sacrifice, don't do it."

"But love is, you have to, you can't be selfish," Korra insists, her brow knit.

Kya sighs. "That came out wrong. Love isn't about hearts, and flowers and anniversaries, and vacations and a constant celebration. Sometimes you do have to sacrifice. But _you sacrifice together_. When you're into somebody, you feel those flutter bats and would jump off a cliff to see them smile. But that isn't love. Love is when you get past that phase and still really care. I realized that way too late."

"You sound like you're close to this topic," Korra says bluntly and then instantly regrets it. _Stupid, stupid, stupid... _

Kya shrugs and smiles wistfully, not offended at all.

"Well, I've had short, brief relationships in every city on every continent, almost, and I mean, ugh. But I did wind up finding someone who was worth hurting for, and who I was willing to stay with even after the flutter bats in my stomach died," Kya admits, and Korra has never seen her expression before. _Sadness_. Kya doesn't do sadness, in Korra's eyes. Or maybe _wistful_. Perhaps wistful.

"What... happened to her?" Korra asks, swallowing. Her throat is sore and she has no clue why.

Kya hesitates before snapping herself out of her melancholy reverie. "She died. She was really sick when I finally realized I needed to come back to her. Her mother died of it too, and it was only a matter of time."

Korra cannot explain the tight feeling in her chest as Kya explains her love. Explaining that she left someone because it seemed right, and she realized too late. Korra will _not _let that happen with Asami. She will _not_.

"We had a really wonderful twenty years together." Kya gestures at her neck. It is only then that Korra truly notices the light blue betrothal necklace with the sharp crescent stone, that has always been present, but the Avatar has paid no mind to. "You aren't always too observant, are you?"

"Do you regret getting back with her, even though you knew it could hurt you really bad?" Korra asks loudly, now definitely thinking about Asami. Everyone wants them to try again, but the one thing genuinely keeping them apart is the knowledge that they could just be hurt even more.

"No. I do not regret a second," Kya says with a half smile. She then has to pry herself from the memories and focus on the moment. "Let me tell you something, Korra, life really can suck. And you're going to get hurt and lose people and sometimes even lose yourself. But the reason that I just stay positive and keep it as carefree as possible is because of that fact. Don't let the bad times win."

Korra grins at those words. She has to force the smile, but it feels right once it is on her face. The happiness she had with Asami has just as much of a chance of returning as the pain does. Korra just needs to... stay positive.

"You are the best lesbian love guru!" Korra declares and the trees rustle, making she and Kya both snap into fighting stances. But the night calms and becomes silent once more. "Can I adopt you as my aunt?"

Kya chuckles before replying, "Yes."

[X]

Korra walks back inside, wiping sweat from her face as she taps Mako's shoulder. "Your watch."

He blinks several times to try to rid himself of drowsiness, and stands up to go keep watch. Korra sits down beside Asami, who has radio dramas on that she and Yumi are listening to.

Korra inhales sharply at the sight, and then does not understand why. She is staring at the curl of Asami's lip as she concentrates on the words. The strength inside of her that radiates, but also the gentle way she has handled Yumi.

Her bangs are in her face and Korra thinks for a moment to brush it aside, to feel her soft, silky hair against her hand again. But she does not think such a gesture will be welcome right now.

But little does Korra know, Asami's mind is warring with similar thoughts.

_Korra and Asami are walking down the street, holding hands proudly. And then Korra and her girlfriend suddenly have to dodge a ball shooting at them from across the street. Asami dodges, while Korra kicks it back to the ruffian kids playing in the street, bringing grins to their faces._

_"That was awesome, lady!" shouts one of the children before they bolt away._

_Korra grins and wipes her now grimy hands on the sides of her pants. Asami looks up at her, still flustered from the abrupt attack, and resumes her romantic walk with Korra._

_"Do you, uh, someday, did you ever, uh..." Korra is stammering as she realizes what she is trying to say. This is much, much harder than it seems. _

_"Did I ever...?" Asami smirks, loving it too much when her girlfriend gets flustered. _

_"This is way too early for me to ask this." Korra cannot believe how hard she is sweating just over Asami. Not that it's a layer of profuse sweat she has not felt before while staring at Asami and then quickly looking away. Or the lingering heat after a hug as Korra wondered if her feelings were at all reciprocated._

_And they were. And they were._

Awkwardly, Korra makes her presence known with, "Hey, Asami," as she tries to mask the choking sound in the back of her throat. She sits down in front of the radio as well, listening to a tale of wild adventures.

"Hey, Korra," Asami replies in the same tone, her eyes drifting away. "I should really get to watch with Mako."

Korra swallows and looks at Yumi. "I guess I'm on babysitting duty then?"

"I guess." Asami looks like she wants to smile, but she quickly walks away.

The Avatar is left thinking about her conversation with Kya. She now cannot get the thought of losing Asami out of her head, the panic in her gut of losing her before she even had the chance to have a life with her.

They had dreams of that, ambitions that they pretended were inside jokes, but had more than a kernel of truth. And Korra sits, tucking Yumi into a make-shift sleeping bag, and starts to wonder where it all went wrong.

Because they thought it would be forever.

_Korra walks home, clutching aromatic bags of take-out food. She drops them on she and Asami's counter and wipes her hands on the curtains before going to search for her girlfriend. They only moved in with each other a few months ago, and to Korra, it is still pretty exciting._

_"I brought food," Korra declares and Asami jumps, dropping her pen. "I mean," and Korra switches her tone to a whisper, "I brought food."_

_Asami hesitates for a moment as she picks up her pen. The dark circles under her eyes concern Korra, and Korra feels a tugging in her gut about how selfish she is at night. Even after conquering her inhibitions, of breaking free of the false limitations, the nightmares and aftershocks remain._

_"I'll eat later. Can you leave some out for me?" Asami asks, smiling warmly at Korra. She has lipstick all over her teeth and Korra has the urge to kiss her, before Asami has already looked away and returned to her work. "It's crunch time, you know? I... would, if I could, Korra."_

_"Right. It's just last week I was busy with that vengeful spirit monster, and the week before I was thwarting a terror attack, and you were designing the new line of those, uh, mechanical things..." Korra trails off and breathes in deeply. She was able to both delay adolescence and grow up too fast, and they now clash as she tries to lead a somewhat normal life._

_"Next week," Asami says._

_It is always next week. _

The night dies down and Korra has not slept a wink. Asami lies next to her, trying to close her eyes for a little while before they need to return Yumi to the Police Station.

Korra loves the scent of her perfume beside her, but she also knows that trying to get together is... maybe a mistake. Or maybe not. Korra looks at her current situation, and realizes that she will now be working as hard as she can to help with this murder case.

The Avatar must be the Avatar. It's... lonely.

Do all of the past Avatars feel so lonely? Some must, surely.

Korra packs up and heads towards the door before Asami wakes, taking a last moment to examine her beauty. And with a smirk, remembering how even months into their dating she quickly snapped her head in the opposite direction if she was staring.

(Including during times when Asami was wearing lingerie, and the engineer would wind up laughing too hard to undo her bra or corset.)

As quickly as possible, Korra heads to the Police Station. All night she was thinking about how this crime is _her _responsibility. She knows that she cannot be in two places at once, but she does wish someone had told her about this so she could do her duties as Avatar.

But she shrugs it off as she leaves the Sato Property.

[X]

Asami and Kya have been watching Yumi and trying to keep her occupied and distracted while Korra talks to Lin and Mako in a sealed office.

"You're," Yumi says quietly and Asami and Kya finish trying to teach her how to make paper airplanes. "I'm scared. Am I... I don't... what will happen to me?"

The lump in Asami's throat is painful. "We're going to look out for you, no matter what. I promise."

Asami is startled at her own vehemence, but she supposes that it is because of her connection to Yumi. What she sees in her eyes is what haunted Asami's eyes for years after her mother's death. And Asami _means it _when she says she will use everything in her power to protect Yumi.

Meanwhile, inside of the office, Lin has shoved a list of suspects in front of Korra, after going through several files of basic information about the recurring crimes. Mako is asleep in a chair in the corner, but Korra has never felt so awake.

And then Korra's sapphire eyes widen in shock. She suddenly remembers every last detail of what she has spent the last several months working on. The emigration of the Agni Kai Triad and similar organized crime syndicates into the Fire Nation.

"I know that name," Korra says forcefully, pointing at one of the suspects. "And that one too."

"How?" Lin inquires, looking doubtful. Korra's sapphire eyes widen as she tries to figure out how to voice this.

"I know that name because while I was in the Fire Nation, I was dealing with the offshoots of the Triads that were making a mess there. Those guys were really big, and, if they left the Fire Nation and came here..." Korra picks at her lips and frowns.

"Hmm. Whatever you remember might be useful," Lin says firmly and Korra nods.

"We should call for consultants," Korra says and Lin, yet again, looks at Korra as if she is an animal pretending to be a person. "Really. Zirah and Iroh worked the entire deal with me, and they definitely know more than me. Maybe they could help. I mean, this is out of control, right?"

Lin purses her lips. "I'll send a request for their consultation. We need to stop this before it gets any worse."

"Awesome," Korra says brightly, and then her confident grin fades at the look on Lin's face. "I mean, uh, let's catch these horrible criminals in a very serious way."

Korra points at Lin and quickly backs out of the room before she can say anything else stupid.

"Korra," Asami says as the Avatar is headed for the door to pick up Naga from Bolin's, "I was thinking I'd take Yumi out to lunch. She says she's never been to Xiao Go Cafe."

With a careful gaze, Korra is not sure if this is intended in a romantic way or not. Asami certainly isn't asking Mako or Kya, and they have far less uncomfortable history.

"I'd love that. But we need to stop by and check on Naga first."

"I hope she didn't eat Bolin," Asami says and she and Korra snicker until they realize the horrified expression on Yumi's face. Her emerald eyes widen and she swiftly adds, "Naga doesn't really eat people, I promise."

"Well... she did try to eat Pabu once..." Korra rambles, relaying the funniest stories she can think of to the nervous and clearly traumatized little girl as Asami guides her by the hand onto the sidewalk.

[X]

Korra wonders desperately if this is a date or not. Or even if the signals she is getting from Asami are remotely right. She did not exactly catch onto them that quickly in the past. And Korra was in denial about the end of their relationship long after Asami had figured it out.

They first stop at Bolin's house, and Yumi has her face buried in Asami's expensive coat. An expensive coat that is splattered with oil stains, yet she shamelessly wears it. Korra like those little things, like when she curls her lip in concentration. Or she can put her genius brain to work on a project, but will forget the simplest of things. Like locking her warehouse, or not putting her shirt on inside out.

Asami feels the same way about Korra. Her befuddled expression that she never bothers to hide, because she does not fear what others think about her for a moment. When she had to list the best qualities of the Avatar on a radio show, she said a few words about her bravery, and heroism. But, she thinks the best qualities of Korra might be how she is completely baffled by a doorknob at this moment.

And then Asami closes her eyes and breathes in. _How is it, _she asks herself, _that we loved each other because of our imperfections, but our imperfections also broke us apart?_

They are at last inside and Yumi screams hysterically as they are attacked by a flurry of white, accompanied by fur that makes Asami break out into a coughing fit. Korra embraces Naga, and Asami smiles before hugging her even more tightly.

"Yumi, she's friendly," Asami says, gesturing as she nuzzles her face against Naga's fur pointedly. Yumi gazes at the polar bear dog, still nervous.

"I'm sorry I disappeared for a while," Korra says to her polar bear dog. Naga makes a small whimpering sound, and Korra knits her brow.

Korra rubs her itchy nose as she wonders how much she should tell Bolin and Eska. All she knows as that she has already plunged headfirst into another duty as the Avatar, and also may or may not be falling madly in love with her ex-girlfriend.

No, she and Asami's relationship only means _hurt _at this point. Once it was the two of them against the world, every moment something Korra would love to relive. But it wasn't built to last and Korra knows she should accept that.

Korra looks at Yumi, and then Asami. The Avatar saunters over and gestures to Naga's fur. "Do you want to pet her?"

Yumi looks at her feet with her lips tightly pursed before viciously nodding. Korra helps guide her nervous hand to Naga, and she instantly gasps in happiness and pushes herself against the polar bear dog.

"Naga is pretty much the best pillow," Korra remarks, grinning at the child who is, thankfully, a blockade between she and Asami.

Korra goes to look for Bolin and only finds a note that he is out with Eska. And so Korra shrugs, shoves the note into her fur lined pocket, and heads away from Bolin's house as quickly as possible.

"Do you want to ride her?" Korra asks Yumi, whom has not let go of Naga since she first pet her.

"Yes, yes," Yumi says quickly, stammering.

"Well, alright," Korra says as she mounts her polar bear dog.

Asami helps Yumi up and then finds a way on top by herself. Looking around, she feels a bit of a rush doing this again. While Naga has learned a significant amount about traffic signals, it still is a dangerous and intriguing experience.

"So, she doesn't exactly have her saddle on," Korra admits, scratching her head. She takes Yumi and sets her in front so the Avatar can keep her from falling off.

"It'll be fine. Right Naga?" She gets the response of a groaning noise. "Right."

However, the moment they start moving, Asami finds herself grasping at shedding fur and needing to use every toned muscle in her body to stay hooked on. At a traffic light, she pushes herself forward, knowing she will regret this, and wraps herself around Korra.

"I was falling off," Asami whispers, the scent of Korra enough to make her want to kiss her. _Kiss her just a little bit. But it will hurt..._

Korra tries to fight the pink blush on her cheeks as she continues to guide Naga towards the restaurant. She sits with Asami and Yumi and tries to stuff her face with as much food as possible in order to evade saying something completely stupid.

Because she would do exactly that.

Yumi finishes half of her food and looks up at the two women who saved her. "Do you guys like each other? Like _like _each other?"

Asami's neck tenses and Korra's lips part in surprise. They stare directly at each other and wait for the other to respond first.

And so Yumi continues, "You guys seem like you like _like _each other."

The rest of the lunch is a thousand times more awkward, which Korra did not think was humanly possible.

[X]

At the Police Station, "I spoke to Izumi," Lin says to Kya as she cracks her knuckles. She is currently teaching Yumi how to make projectiles out of spare sheets of paper littering the office, and Lin is reminded why she decided never to have children.

"Mhm?" Kya replies, turning around as Yumi licks a wad of paper.

"Zirah is coming to consult on the mission." And then Lin sucks in her cheeks. Kya watches the effect it has on her scars; they always have fascinated her. "I also asked for a second consultant. And I would greatly approve of you being as professional as possible during their assistance. These are lives at stake, and I take my work very seriously."

Kya purses her lips and seizes a spitball coming at her with her waterbending. Yumi giggles as Kya very gently shoves her.

"_Too _seriously, if you ask me," Kya replies, cocking a grey eyebrow. "But, if it means that much to you I promise that I'll leave all my personal _feelings_ out of your police investigation."

"I appreciate that," Lin replies with a curt nod. "You can go back home, you know? Jinora's birthday was over two weeks ago."

Kya clenches her jaw for a moment and looks moderately troubled. Lin tries not to be alarmed that she might have just sparked a _feelings _conversation. Which the Chief of Police simply cannot tolerate.

"I can't, okay?"

"Are you running way again?" Lin asks flatly, and Kya thinks she is actually attempting a joke. A pitiful one, but Kya gives her points for effort.

"I'm nearly sixty years old. It's not _running away_ at this point." Kya laughs and just shrugs it off. "I'm just looking for the next stage in the great journey of life."

Lin squints at her. "Well, isn't that cute. I'm unsure why you haven't gotten a job as fake psychic by this point."

Kya laughs harder. "See, _that _was a real joke. I'm proud of you Lin."

"Just don't get your personal life involved in this case." Lin rubs her face.

"I'll try my best not to. But, clearly this case needs some of my sex appeal attached to it."

Silence.

[X]

Four days pass, and Korra keeps herself busy by learning as much as she can about the murders, and trying to come up with any connections to the Triads that she saw while in the Fire Nation. She burns the midnight oil with Mako, Lin and sometimes Kya.

_"You're hiding from something," Mako states clearly and Korra grimaces into her third cup of strong tea._

_"No I'm not," Korra grumbles as she re-reads the same report for the fifth time. Spirits, her eyes are sore._

_"You're hiding from Asami."_

_"That doesn't even merit a response. It's none of your business and I'd appreciate you not thinking that you're so important that you can pull strings and make all of this hurt and failure in a relationship just magically disappear!" Korra screams, and Lin looks up from the other side of the nearly empty room._

_Mako is silent._

"So, Iroh's sister is coming with him?" Asami inquires, having rid herself of Yumi for a little while as the toddler plays with dolls.

Korra nods once and takes a seat in front of the girl who is almost always behind her eyelids.

"Zirah," Korra says, although Asami probably knows. "She'll be really helpful dealing with these scumbags." Korra pauses. "And have you thought about what's going to happen to Yumi?"

Asami tilts her head up slightly and looks over at the little girl.

"I think she might have done that thing when baby animals bond with a mother." Both Asami and Korra attempt to fake laughter to no avail. This is not a funny situation at all. "I think I'm the only person here who can really understand what she's going through. And if anyone is competent enough to protect a witness from _any _threat; it's me or... you."

Korra nods. "It's a really good deed."

"It's just being a decent human," Asami replies with a tiny twitch of her lips.

And then they are called outside to greet Zirah, who has come over by express route, taking only four days to arrive in Republic City from the Fire Nation thanks to Asami's many accomplishments in transportation. Although, Korra personally thinks it would be way cooler if people from the Fire Nation rode dragons everywhere.

Korra still prefers Naga over a satomobile, any day.

On the cement sidewalk, Asami feels a sensation of foreboding in her stomach as she looks at the tinted windows of the satomobile. Korra is playing with Yumi, completely unaware of how severe the situation is. Severe enough that they're calling in help from the outside.

A young woman steps out first and her eyes fixate on Korra. "Nice to see you again," she remarks and Korra swallows.

Asami narrows her eyes and Korra shakes her head, trying to get the point across that she definitely did not date Zirah during her time in the Fire Nation.

"Is Iroh with you?" Korra asks, standing up.

"He's busy right now. One moment," Zirah says, holding up a slender finger. She extends one hand towards the expensive, shimmering black car. She waits for a moment and Asami furrows her brow. Korra expects Zuko, from the respectful gaze, but she is wrong.

Close. But wrong.

Zirah's palm is grasped by a slender, nearly translucent hand, and she very gently helps the woman inside to her feet on the sidewalk. Her heels click on the pavement fiercely before she emerges from behind the open door of the vehicle.

_Well, that was unexpected_.


	4. Consultants

**Chapter Four:** Consultants

* * *

Zirah's palm is grasped by a slender, nearly translucent hand, and she very gently helps the woman inside to her feet on the sidewalk. Her high heels click on the pavement, and Asami has to admit she is well dressed for someone whose hands are trembling at rest.

Korra recognizes her with a small grimace, which she quickly turns into the most welcoming smile the Avatar can muster. It is exactly who Korra should have expected, given the nature of what they are investigating. Prince Zuko's very delightful and not at all grating and callous younger sister.

The Avatar stands and smiles. "Well, hi, nice to see you ─ "

"Take me to Chief Beifong," interrupts the older woman and Asami snorts and laughs at Korra's visible cringe. "Is that yours?" Azula asks, still abrupt and frightening as she points a long, talon at Yumi.

"No, well, maybe. It's complicated," Asami stammers quickly as she picks up Yumi in her arms. The toddler is clinging and nervous, her amber eyes wide as an owl-cat as she studies the two princesses.

Korra, Asami and their young ward are left in the dust as Zirah wordlessly and gracefully escorts the second consultant into the police station. As Asami sees Korra's contorted eyebrows and confused expression, she can barely contain her laughter. Spirits, Asami really missed watching Korra interact with dignitaries.

"Korra Struggles At Speaking to World Leaders, Issue Eight, Volume One Hundred," Asami mutters teasingly and Korra just shakes her head.

[X]

_Asami wrings her hands as she paces in the back rooms of Yue Bay Hotel. The ballroom is rented out for the night as Asami will host an important banquet honoring her investors. Korra is the guest of honor, and is currently watching Asami with a small smile._

_ "I love that you can face off with crazy people and shock guys with an electric glove, but wrong your hands and your-your eyebrows get kinda twitchy two, I only just noticed," Korra snickers with a stupid grin._

_ "I am a people person!" Asami protests._

_ Mako stands up straight, having been leaning on the curtains for several long minutes. "You're an up close with people person. Not a... I don't even know what this is," he says._

_ He points out Bolin and Pabu greeting guests and Asami and Korra kiss._

_ "Okay, Asami, this will be your good luck charm," Korra says, holding up the comic book she has had her nose buried in. Asami squints at it._

_ "Are you actually reading a comic book series about yourself?" Asami asks in disbelief. She then just laughs and shakes her head._

_ "This one also has you. Asami Sato, Electric Crusader," Korra reads and Asami thinks she must be kidding. But when the CEO squints and analyzes the page, she is startled to see that it seems to be her title._

_ "What am I wearing?" Asami asks, sitting down half on Korra's lap. "Did you commission this issue?"_

_ "No," Korra says honestly and Asami cocks an eyebrow. "Although, honestly, I like the metal bikini. I think it would flatter your beautiful lady form and distract all the enemies."_

_ Mako makes an uncomfortable sound as the two women giggle._

[X]

After her ribbing joke, Asami inquires softly, "Was that who I thought it was?"

"Probably. If you thought it was possibly our worst nightmare." Pause. "I'm kidding. She's not that bad. There are meaner old ladies, but most of them are too busy eating the souls of children to help us out." Pause. "She is going to be a good consultant and she one time said I had nice shoes," Korra admits with a sigh as she walks into the Police Station with Asami at her heels. "Were you hoping for Iroh?"

Asami shakes her head. She thinks she detects some _jealousy _in Korra's tone. "No."

"I mean he is one fine male specimen. I wouldn't hold it against you," Korra says weakly, still trying to compensate for how poorly her introduction went.

"A _fine male specimen_? Slow down; I can't keep up with your new vocabulary." Asami grins again as Yumi looks very confused. "Jokes aside, I actually think his sister is hotter..."

"She's not in the girl's club," Korra laments before struggling not to be floored by her embarrassing memory of a late night tracking a trafficker in Caldera with Zirah at her sleepy side. It was a very, very awkward attempt at flirting that Korra will likely never stop regretting.

"Is that what we're calling it? The girl's club?" Asami asks teasingly as they stop in front of Lin's office. The two royals and Mako are already inside.

"Brought you some tea," says the most welcoming voice Korra can think of. Kya has just approached with two cups, and she hands Korra and Asami each one. Still hot. "Yeah. Lin told me to go get tea. Apparently I'm her gopher-lemming now. Might as well embrace it."

"If you are a gopher-lemming," Asami says warmly, "you are the Queen of Gopher-Lemmings."

"Well, where are my bows and grovels, then, huh?" Kya winks at Asami before sidling around a desk and trying to peer through the grimy glass windows. "So, the Avatar, best mind of her generation, and the _only _witness in the case are locked out of the conversation?"

Korra nods. "I'm getting pretty used to it by now."

"I really hate her," Kya grumbles as she sets a knee on a desk to get a better look. There is a loud popping of her bone as she places her weight onto it and Kya groans. She pointedly looks to the sky, "I'm sorry, Universe, I absolutely hate no one. Please forgive your Gopher-Lemming Queen."

"Lin?" Korra is stunned by that. "You two seem like... friend type people."

"No, I really hate Princess Azula." Pause. "But Lin made me promise to keep my feelings out of the case, so long as I brought my sex appeal to it."

Asami starts laughing again. "What?"

"Well, she said _something _like that," Kya says, waving her hand. "Semantics, you know?"

The door opens and Kya steps off of the table as if she were an adolescent caught doing something bad. It is Mako, looking at all of them.

"You four can come in now," he announces, waving for them. Korra, Asami and Yumi exchange a glance before walking inside with Kya at their heels.

"All of you but the Avatar tell me what you're doing here." And then she points. "You first."

Asami's lips open and close as Kya cocks an eyebrow, as if to prove her point.

"I am Asami Sato of Future Industries, Ma'am, and I am a..."

"Too slow, you." She points at Yumi, whose eyes widen in terror at first.

"Yumi?" suggests the child and there is a beat of surprising patience. Yumi screws up her small face and tries to remember the word they keep calling her. "I'm a witness."

"There, see. That child was more articulate than you," Azula says coldly to Asami, whom now looks relatively aghast. Korra cocks an eyebrow at Asami pointedly.

When Azula turns, Kya crosses her arms and Korra tries to figure out if they have some kind of history. "I am Kya, you know me, but you've probably just forgotten in your old ─ _Lin_, that look is so unwarranted ─ and I am the appointed babysitter to make sure that Korra and Asami don't smoke the heroin or touch each other in naughty places."

Korra and Asami both blush furiously as Mako uncomfortably clears his throat and averts his eyes.

"Right, so all of you are completely useless. Have any of you had any experiences with the Agni Kai Triad? I'm still not talking to you, Avatar. Close your mouth before some kind of animal makes a home in it," Azula says in a tone that Asami wishes she could just steal and use on a regular basis.

"My dad borrowed money from them and it didn't end well," Asami says loudly, and everyone in the room is stunned. Kya's entertained expression is immediately somber. "My mom was killed by them when I was a little girl."

Yumi snuggles tighter against Asami, and the child's bond with the CEO is now evident to everyone, if it were not already.

"Okay, you are slightly more important now, but don't let it go to your head. How many murders have there been so far?"

"Twenty-three," Lin says calmly, the only person not looking wildly uncomfortable or confused.

"Right. Expect two more," Azula says as if discussing two more oranges, not two more _corpses_.

Korra cannot help but interject, "... what?"

"I said expect two more. I am an old woman with limited words left to speak and I do not want to repeat myself. Judging by the very fractured information you have managed to give me, there will be twenty-five murders because of the connection to gang violence. It will not stop there, I assure you. I am sure this killer or _killers _is after a certain thing."

"Why twenty-five?" Korra asks, forcing her way into the conversation whether people like it or not.

"The slang term in the Triad for a spy, undesirable, insurgent or traitor is a twenty-five. Lin, you've told me that you have suspicions that it is a copycat murderer of the 118 AG spree," Azula says quickly and crisply. Lin nods. "There were twenty-five murders then."

"So, what do you propose?" Mako asks cautiously.

"Well, evidently we wait to see what happens after the next two murders."

Korra jumps in there. "We're not going to let two people die, just to try to get another clue! There is always another way that doesn't involve basically killing people."

Hesitation. "So, when did you two break up anyway?"

"I don't see what that has to do with the fact that you've just proposed offering up two Republic City citizens as human sacrifices."

"It might be a problem. If I were whoever is doing something _this _elaborate, I would be very alarmed by the return of the Avatar right in the middle of my spree. And I would go right to the heart. Just," and she gestures loosely at Asami, "_snip snip_."

Kya loudly clears her throat and Lin looks calmly about to explode.

"Alright, if the Dragon Lady is done scaring little children away," Kya says sharply and Korra is stunned to see the tenaciousness of her free-flowing and carefree friend, "we need to figure out _who _the victims are going to be, right?"

Lin frowns. "The original murders were never solved because they weren't connected at all. None of it ever added up. Drove my mom up a wall for years."

"So, this could be the same person as last time, then?" Korra says, the thought just dawning on her now.

Princess Azula shakes her head. "No..."

Clearly, the three grey-haired women in the room know something that the youths do not, but none of them look very willing to share. Korra turns to Asami and Mako.

"We've figured out and accomplished way harder things before. Let's call up Bolin and save two lives," Korra says fiercely and Asami and Mako share a very similar smile. The smile of two people who would follow Korra into the Realm of Koh and back, because they love and trust her.

"I'll help," Zirah says fiercely, her eyes flickering up and down Mako in a way that makes Kya raise her eyebrows.

Lin then says, "I'll help too. _But_ even if I don't want two innocent people to die, I won't sacrifice catching this creep if it comes down to it."

"How adorable," is all Azula says.

"Mako," Lin states, turning to the young man, "would you please take Zirah and her Aunt to the records office for me? I'm sure they will be much more helpful there than here."

"Y-yeah, of course," Mako says hastily, and Korra cannot help but notice how his eyes are stuck on Zirah as if they are glued there. "It's outside of the door."

"I figured," Zirah says with a smirk that Mako can only nod in response to.

The consultants are gone as quickly as they came, and Lin, Kya, Korra, Asami and Yumi all feel as if they have just been hit by a tornado. Honestly, they look like it too.

Lin pinches the bridge of her nose. "I have a migraine already. Asami, Sato Manor seemed like a safe enough place for Yumi before. I'd suggest returning there with Korra. Kya, if you're not too busy _babysitting _thirty year olds, I could use some help sorting evidence before tonight. We will convene again in the morning."

No one argues or protests, and Korra, Asami and Yumi scuttle out as quickly as Mako did, yet possibly with more awkward romantic glances.

"Don't smoke the heroin?" is the first thing Lin says to Kya once they are alone. She shakes her sore head and rummages in her desk for something to kill the pain.

"I do recall a certain person telling me that they had _never smoked the heroin_," Kya prods teasingly, a smirk spreading across her face. The wrinkles on her lips twist, and she looks like she could not be happier.

But she feels a little weak inside, admittedly. She hopes Korra and Asami make it, because seeing Azula and Zirah makes Kya think about what she had lost, even after she spent so long traveling the world, opening her chakras and learning how to live without judgment. Learning to move past suffering.

"I wasn't as versed in drugs as you or my sister," Lin says casually, not defensively, yet not in the same joking tone as Kya either. "You're not their babysitter. And you are free to leave whenever you please. I'm sure the reason you're here is because Tenzin and his children are trying to smoke you out like spider-wasps in a tool shed."

Kya has to admit that it _is _an astute observation.

"Why do you people hate having me around? Is it because I remind you that you're all doing horribly and I'm doing awesome?" Kya says and Lin rolls her eyes. She has gall, and Lin appreciates gall. "We probably should get down to business about this whole murder deal. I know I'm acting cavalier about it, but this is pretty serious."

"At last, you admit it," Lin says coolly before laying open all of the books in front of Kya.

"I remember that killer, I think," Kya remarks as she settles in her chair across from Lin. "I was just a kid but I remember my mom not letting me go into the city at night for weeks. A copycat killer would make this easier."

"Or harder." Lin shrugs. "I don't have much hope at this point, except maybe we get lucky or they get sloppy."

Kya cannot stomach looking at the pictures for too long. "It's really sick."

"You get used to it." Lin shrugs again.

"Do you remember my cynical phase?"

"Before you discovered meditation and aura healing?"

"Before I got out of my sullen teenage years," Kya corrects with a small smile.

"Yes. It was a sad phase of your life that I think we all have been fortunate enough to forget with age."

"I used to think it was so ridiculous that my dad wanted to save everybody. And nothing ever _stayed _in balance. It seemed really pointless."

"Of course it seemed pointless to a sixteen year old with... oh, what were those awful gloves you never took off? They were black and grimy..."

"My dad said that the world was a kind place at the heart and it was always worth fighting for." Kya tries again to look at the gruesome scene of the twentieth murder. "I agree with the second part. But, I do think eventually we should leave the fighting up to those young people."

"I would be lying if I said that working this case hasn't made me salivate for retirement," Lin admits, taking a sip of her black tea and finding it to be cold and stale. "I was thinking someplace sunny. Maybe I could collect seashells. I hear Ember Island has some nice private islands free of people bothering me."

"You would go insane in two days," Kya chastises, smiling wider. "I have been retired for... forever, I guess, and I can't imagine you taking long walks on the beach and doing some yoga in the morning. Collecting seashells..."

Lin looks almost hopeful and serene for a brief moment. "It would be quiet. I would like things to be quiet."

"Yeah, just the smooth noise of the ocean waves lulling you to sleep." Kya makes ocean noises with her lips and waterbending gestures with her fingers to try to make this less uncomfortable.

"Why is this funny to you? I have certainly had a fulfilling and long career, and I'm thinking," Lin begins before staring at Kya for a moment. She is still making ocean noises. "I'm thinking of giving my position to Mako after we catch this copycat killer."

Kya's teasing ocean sound effects cease abruptly. "Wow."

"Why is that surprising? He's a good kid, works hard and has plenty of experience. Almost a decade on the force, helped save the world a couple times." Lin shakes her head and takes another sip of old tea. It does not taste that dreadful, and she has a headache.

"I just never imagined you _not _as Chief Beifong. Well, I mean, after I stopped imagining your mom as that."

"Perhaps soon I will be Chief of the Seashells."

"_Another _joke. That's two in a week. I'm proud of you, Lin."

And cue Kya's cackling and Lin rolling her eyes yet again.

[X]

"You seemed pretty tongued tied, huh?" Korra laughs as she settles in Asami's sleek black satomobile with Yumi on her lap.

"I'm not talking to you, Avatar," Asami says in a hilariously bad snooty tone.

"I have no interest in speaking to someone who is less articulate than this little girl," Korra replies in what she considers a much better impression. "No offense, Yumi," she whispers quickly in the ear of her ward.

"Still not talking to you, Avatar," Asami snaps with slippery sweet fervor, getting into her impression with the magnificence of an Ember Island Player, as she at last pulls out of her parking spot.

Asami drives Korra and Yumi through the crowded streets of Republic City. Yumi is examining the shops and people that they pass and Korra is quietly conversing with her. Asami cannot help but turn and look at Korra with Yumi again and again, trying not to smile, or maybe trying not to frown.

She is now supposed to be somehow stopping a serial killer, gang war or something worse, and instead of being focused on that, she is focused on her feelings for the Avatar. The fact that she still loves Korra is evident; she has always loved Korra, in one way or another.

But these feelings hurt. They hurt her insides like little needles jabbing her again and again from the inside. She manages to shake most of her distraction away just in time to pull up into the driveway of Sato Manor and choke.

Korra smells the smoke immediately, and she quickly shoves open the door of the satomobile and gets out.

"Right, Korra," Asami breathes exasperatedly as she glances at Yumi and then at the smoldering rubble ahead of her, "run directly _at _the fire..."

Asami manages to get out, kicking open the glove box and grabbing the nearest weapon. Once it was a literal glove and Bolin could not stop laughing and pointing out the pun as Asami pretended not to get it. And then Korra joined in, and at last, Asami, with her cheeks flushed, relented.

"Yumi," Asami orders as the young girl curls into a ball, "you wait here. I have to go help Korra."

The CEO is grateful for her ability to remain calm right now. Internally she is screaming and running around in a panic, but she manages to click on the part of her brain that developed around the time she befriended the Avatar and started getting involved in near-death experiences on a regular basis.

She runs, the acrid smoke burning her nostrils and throat. Although she blinks several times, the ash still furiously stings her eyes, but she knows she has to find Korra in case this is not an accidental house fire. And, given the case Korra and Asami have gotten tangled in, the odds that it is an accident are astronomically low.

When Asami finally makes her way through the blinding smoke, she can see Korra's eyes glowing like bright lamps in the darkness. Asami quickly stumbles back, looking over her shoulder at Yumi, as the world is awash with water.

Asami runs to hold Yumi as she watches in awe, gazing at the way Korra bends the elements like a maestro bringing chilling and powerful tones from an orchestra. At last, the air smells of mud, ash and wood, and Korra is resting on a rock, her eyes returning to their usual sapphire.

The water has receded to wherever Korra summoned it from nearby, and Asami grabs Yumi as she races to see what damage has been done.

"It's... gone..." Asami is rendered speechless, her eyes wide.

She thought there would be structural damage. Maybe some blackened wood or an explosion in her garage. But it's _gone. _Just charred rubble. Her home has been wiped off the map, and Asami can barely fathom it. Her first thought is of important files, but the next is of her dad... her pictures of her _mom_ and...

Korra stands up and slowly walks to her. "I'm sorry."

Asami forces herself to look away from the ashes and takes a deep breath. She will have to contain her feelings and sort them out later. "It isn't your fault."

"No, I... I got you wrapped up in these murders. This is why I broke up with you. So you wouldn't get hurt like this again," Korra says hoarsely and Asami spins around to face her.

"I don't need protecting. And it was my choice to get involved," Asami says fiercely. "We'll go to your place and I'll call someone to measure the damage."

Silence. "I..." Korra looks on the verge of tears and Asami cannot bear seeing that.

"It's been a really long week. We haven't slept. And when was the last time you had a meal and not something out of plastic wrapping? We're in this together, Korra. So chin up, and thanks for putting out my flaming house." Asami grabs Korra's wrist with her free hand, adjusting Yumi in her other arm, and they walk back to the car, still trembling from the attack.

[X]

Mako sneezes in the Records Office, the dust nearly choking him to death. He rubs his nose with his elbow before seeing Zirah watching, entertained.

"I... I usually use tissues," Mako says and her shoulders shake with silent giggles. "Uhm, anyway, there are... probably... records here."

He is sweating. Profusely. Sweating profusely and he rubbed mucus on his sleeve. Such a charmer. Mako is _such _a charmer.

"I guessed that there would be records in the Records Office," Zirah says warmly, walking to him. "So, we need to find whatever there is about those spree murders in 118 AG?"

"Yeah," Mako states, nodding sharply.

"And my Aunt is ─ somewhere..." Zirah blushes now as if she is the one covered in their own snot. "Oh my Agni, so help me, if she is making some innocent librarian cry right now... I mean, first the man on the boat, then the chauffeur, then the man who accidentally forgot to put sugar in my tea..."

"I think we're alone here," Mako says, wondering if he should follow Zirah when she springs off to go track down the whole person she lost.

He decides against it, and instead awkwardly shuffles his feet.

This is probably going to be a very long night.

[X]

Asami and Korra reach Korra's apartment and see Bolin and Eska waiting for them at the door. Bolin is bouncing from foot to foot from the cold, Pabu tucked neatly into his shirt, also shaking. Eska is in short sleeves and has a flat expression.

"You two don't look so good," Bolin says slowly, furrowing his brow.

"Why would they look good, Bolin?" Eska asks, turning to him. "They have just survived a fire."

Bolin just shrugs. "Asami, I think we should give you a little warning before you ─ oh, she's already inside..."

Asami finds out just what Bolin was trying to warn her about when Korra finally unlocks the door to her apartment and Asami steps inside. The CEO quickly has to close her agape mouth when she looks inside.

"Korra," Asami says in awe, "this place is decrepit. Why are you living here?"

And then her pale cheeks flush when she realizes that Korra is probably living here because they stopped living with each other. Asami has spent a good deal of time thinking about where everything went wrong, and all that it entails. But she has never had to look the facts of the matter right in the face like this.

In the cold light of day, Asami can see that she is not the only one who was in pain.

"It's not that bad. I mean, it's not Sato Manor but ─"

"I didn't mean it that way," Asami hastily says, contemplating reaching out and taking Korra's arm, but deciding against it. "I just mean that it probably isn't safe for Yumi to stay here right now. So..."

"Bolin's house?" Korra cannot mask her bitterness when she suggests that, and she does not think she regrets it.

Asami frowns faintly. "We'll clean," she says, at last looking up with that innovative twinkle in her emerald eyes. Korra loves how Asami looks when she has a great idea. "Let's have a cleaning day here and then it'll be perfectly good for me and Yumi."

"Me and Yumi?" Korra's mind catches those three words and cannot move on without addressing them.

"I was thinking I would stay too," Asami says softly, now thinking she has overstepped her bounds. But Korra shakes her head. "Given the fact that I am now homeless."

"That sounds great ─ not the homeless part, of course ─ I just ─ Naga loves company. I guess it's a cleaning day, then," Korra replies, tittering awkwardly with forced laughter. Naga looks up from the chunk of floor she has made her bed, and then rests her chin again.

Yumi wriggles out of Asami's grasp and runs to Naga, thankfully.

The loud footsteps of Bolin and Eska cease when they reach the door, and Asami and Korra exchange a glance. Korra quickly turns her head and kicks aside the crumpled newspapers, most of them about the murders, and then she shuffles inside.

"We're cleaning," Asami informs Bolin and he grimaces.

"Yeah, you know that's not really my," he attempts before sighing loudly. "I'll help. I can't say no to you two."

"I can," Eska states solemnly as her eyes locate the sofa. "I will be sitting here quietly, watching you clean."

Bolin shrugs and turns to Asami. "If we can get back together, you know..."

"Drop the Korra thing," Asami says in a tone Bolin has never heard. Her tone is cold and clinical.

Then he can smell the ash on her, and the sweat, and he realizes that trying to get she and Korra to kiss right after Asami just saw her mansion burn down is petty and foolish. He decides to make up for it by being an extra good cleaner.

"Pabu and I," Bolin says, very gently nudging Asami with his elbow, "are born cleaners."

Asami tries to smile but her lips just weakly twitch. "I'll pretend that I believe that if you do the bathroom."

Bolin touches his hand to his forehead in a salute, Pabu chirps, and Asami's eyes rest on Korra before she goes to find some form of cleaning products.


	5. Missed Kisses

**Chapter Five: **Missed Kisses

* * *

"Do you like the sunrise?" Korra asks abruptly and Asami squints for a moment.

"Not when I've been awake the whole night," she replies and her voice reflects how exhausted she is by now. "I wish I was him."

She nods at Bolin, who is asleep on the sofa, a blanket pulled over him the minute they decided that they were finished cleaning. Pabu is attempting to use Bolin as a pillow, and Eska went to bed in Korra's room four hours ago. Yumi is asleep on Naga, who have now become quite good friends.

Korra and Asami are the only people watching the awful night turn into day.

"My house is very lemon scented now," Korra remarks as she takes a sip out of an empty cup and then tries to pretend that she did not. "It smells like... clean, I guess? Oh, I'm so sorry."

And Korra immediately wants to hide. Asami's house is _gone_.

"It's fine. We should probably wake them up so we can get to the Police Station in time," Asami says quietly, wishing that Korra had not pointed out the fact that Sato Manor probably smells like ash and dirt.

"Yeah," Korra says quietly, trying to think of something _good _to say, but Asami has already stood up and gently started shaking Yumi and Bolin. Pabu chirps and Asami makes a small hissing sound at him.

"No, Pabu, tsk, tsk," Asami says as he continues warbling a morning song. "Headache, Pabu. _Headache_."

The phone rings the moment Pabu stops making noises, and Yumi and Bolin both jolt up from the noise.

Korra stumbles to get it, "Hello?"

"This is the Director of Assets for Future Industries,"says a gravelly female voice on the other line.

"Uh, so you know that Asami is here?" Korra rubs her neck and glances at her friend.

"Yes. May I speak to her?"

Korra passes off the phone, and Asami takes up a conversation that sounds very businesslike and troubling.

"Yumi, you have no spare clothes," Korra sighs and the little girl grins and shrugs. "Put that on the list. You're so sticky."

"So're you," Yumi snaps back and Korra examines herself and comes up short.

"No I'm not," Korra says softly as Eska wakes up and declares flatly that she is going home. Bolin wants to come to the police station, and Asami and Korra are impressed to see that Eska is fine with that.

It probably won't be a fun walk, nonetheless.

[X]

As the quartet plods down the street, Korra catches a glimpse of a newsstand, magazines, papers and comics rippling in the morning wind or when satomobiles pass. The first thing she sees is a cover of the firemen and ashes of Sato Manor, with the title: _RUIN FOR ASAMI SATO?_

The Avatar's first instinct is to do or say something as distracting as possible. But the moment she tries, Asami turns and sees it, her emerald eyes flickering in shock.

_"Korra, I don't need protecting. I love you, and so you're not going to lose me, I promise," Asami says as Korra pulls her preemptively away from a cyclist passing by._

_ "I know. I just, being the Avatar, I get nearly killed a lot. And I know that if people want to hurt me now... they're going to try to go through you," Korra admits quietly, her sapphire eyes glancing around for eavesdroppers._

_ Asami wishes she had something better to say._

"I'm sorry," Korra says quickly as the man at the table disappears, his eyes widened in fright at the girl gazing speechlessly at the tabloids.

Asami peels her eyes away forcibly and turns to her ex-girlfriend. "It isn't your fault. Don't think that."

"They were targeting me through you," Korra says and Asami grits her teeth. She has heard it too many times, even if it is often true.

"How do you know they weren't targeting _me_? We both stumbled onto that crime scene, and so did Mako, and Lin, and Kya..." Asami rattles off as Bolin looks uncomfortable. "It doesn't have to be you."

They lock eyes for a moment, uncertain what to say. Thankfully, Bolin interjects with, "We should really complain to Mako. He's the one who tried to set you two up on that date. Also, please someone hold Yumi."

Asami's eyes flicker up first and see the little girl tugging at a very sour-faced Pabu as Bolin's forehead gleams with sweat. Korra takes her and then she and Asami exchange another weighted glance, about the fact that Yumi already feels a bit like their child.

The silence is deafening as Asami buys one of the tabloids, against Korra and Bolin's mutually pleading eyes, and they continue the long walk to the police station.

[X]

"Well, we did not find what we were looking for," Zirah announces, turning her palms up with a small grimace.

They are again in Lin's office as the other officers shuffle back and forth and the phones ring. The heat is nasty as Mako, Bolin, Korra, Asami, Zirah, her great aunt, Kya, Lin and Yumi are all shoved into the small, lightly incensed room.

"And Asami's house burned down," Lin adds grimly. "This is going well already. Bolin, what are you doing here?"

"... consulting?" he suggests and Lin frowns for a moment.

"Well, since we're bringing in toddlers, businesswomen and Kya, we might as well just open the doors to anyone on this _highly confidential_ case," Lin sighs and no comments on the fact that the private case has started drawing in randoms like moths to a flame.

"So, what is it you're looking for?" Korra asks, cocking an eyebrow.

"We found out," Mako jumps in, "that the collection the records department had on the 118 AG killing spree was sold four years ago to the estate of Amaransu Gao. Which is now presided over by her granddaughter."

"The records department just sold a collection on a case that was never solved?" Asami asks in disbelief. "That's not sound business practice."

"Neither is forgetting to lock your warehouses," Mako says and Asami shoots him a glare.

"Alright, so we just need to contact Whoever Gao and take a look," Lin says, her tone relieved. _This _part of the case seems to be easy enough. "I am only taking four or less of you. Mako, you stay here and watch the station. Asami, you have money and so she'll actually believe that you're trying to buy something. Korra, you're the Avatar and probably can sway her mind. And of the consultants, Princess Azula has deeper knowledge than Zirah, and can sell ice to a water tribesman."

"That was impressive," Bolin remarks and Lin nods once at him.

"Is anyone here responsible enough to watch Yumi without her eating poison?" Lin asks, glancing around. "Bolin, put your hand down. Kya, don't even think about it. You just happened to let someone eat poison the only time you babysat them."

"I can," Zirah says and Korra very reluctantly parts with the young girl.

Yumi's fingers catch in her wolf tails briefly and Korra tries not to whimper from either pain or cuteness.

"Bye, Korra," she whispers and then looks up. "Bye, Asami. Bye, Pabu and Bolin."

"You can trust these people. If you need anything, Mako will help you, and Zirah is very nice," Korra says and Asami averts her eyes.

The fact that she wants to have Korra's babies right now is not at all helping her focus on her burnt down mansion or the estate of another eccentric wealthy person.

Kya mutters to Lin, "You would mention the poison incident."

"Shush. I have respect of these people," Lin says and Kya laughs.

"Nobody cares. Watch; hey everyone!" Kya declares. "Everyone, one time when Lin was little and I was babysitting her, she snuck into the evidence locker and ate poison!"

No response, just horrified expressions and Korra's uncontrollable fit of laughter.

"While _you were babysitting me_."

[X]

Tracking down the manager of the Gao Estate is simple enough, but when they meet him, Korra is stunned speechless. Kya, Lin and Azula are discussing the actual business matters with a bespectacled secretary, as Korra and Asami are gladly invited in to the main office by none other than Varrick, wearing a very tacky suit.

"It's my favorite ladies," Varrick says brightly from his gaudy desk chair. "Other than my wife, of course."

"I haven't seen you in over a year," Korra says excitedly as Varrick gestures for them to take seats. "How have you been?"

"Managing estates, as you can see." He smiles glibly at the Avatar and she grins. "Speaking of which, Asami, I heard the terrible news. If there is anything I can do..."

"I have it under control. But thank you," Asami says curtly, although it is definitely a lie. She still has not gone to assess the damage and do the paperwork because she is tacked on to this police case.

"Of course you do. So, they're out there getting addresses and whatnot, but I can give you the actual rundown on Tsuki Gao. She is not a winner in the personality department, at all, to be blunt and honest," Varrick says with a shrug and Korra's shoulders shake with silent giggles. "She, however, does not care at all about her mother and grandmother's very nice collections. Shame, of course."

"Who are the Gaos?" Asami asks, puzzled. "I've heard the name but never ran into them at any events."

"Art collectors." He contorts his lip in thought for a moment. "Art thieves, actually. They have deep ties in the triads, and don't come to the kind of galas you and I do, Asami."

"Including the Agni Kai Triad?" Korra asks and Varrick nods. "They sound perfect. For Asami's money, of course."

Asami shakes her head, both of them seeing the Varrick does not believe them for a second.

[X]

They arrive at the fancy apartment that is in the shadiest part of town. Korra thinks it is honestly pretty cool, but Asami is just troubled by the implications, and how unknown this is.

At the door, a slender teenage girl glances at the guests and openly sighs.

"I'm selling off my great-grandmother's stuff," says the bored looking young woman who is showing what appears to be an art museum within an apartment.

It is one of the city blocks only recently cleared of spirit vines due to the illicit nature of most businesses, and the girl with dark brown tresses and a crisp dress is popping gum as she waits for Korra and Asami to leave. She doubts that the Avatar and CEO of Future Industries are actually interested in the art. _Plus_, they brought the cop chief and a very scary looking old lady with harsh red lipstick. The woman looks a lot like her grandmother did; beautiful despite being old, but also scary and begging to be avoided.

"Amaransu, was your grandmother's name?" Princess Azula asks as Korra and Asami begin to look around the immense collection of artwork from all Four Nations.

"Yeah. Why?" the young girl replies rudely.

"I knew her," Azula says before walking into the back rooms uninvited. She is clearly looking for something, and Lin is glad she decided to extend the invitation.

Lin turns to the teenager and cannot believe she is dealing with this today.

"I'll be blunt. Your mother bought a collection from the police records from the celebrity killing spree in 118 AG. We want it and we'll pay any price you name," Lin says and the girl frowns for a second.

"Hummm, well, actually, I already sold that."

"Well, I am the police and therefore am confiscating it from whoever sold it."

"You can come to the sale charity thing tomorrow night." She shrugs and Lin looks like she just wants to curl up and take a nap.

She does.

"You kinda have to buy something if you wanna come though."

"We'll take that thing." Lin points.

"No, we will take something that might actually help with the case," Azula interrupts and Lin looks briefly offended.

Asami steps inside of a small and stuffy art room, following Azula as Korra is making strange faces at frescos from Air Temples, and chuckling at the colorful fruit pies depicted in them. Asami then sees another room of art, and Azula is clearly looking for something in particular.

"Need help?" asks the CEO and the princess looks up at her for a moment before curtly nodding.

"I'm looking for a painting of twenty-five soldiers and victims in the ransacking of Ba Sing Se," Azula says coolly. "There are four copies, and last I checked, Amaransu had the last one. It probably is the kind of thing the killer would prize."

That is not at all what they are looking for, and Asami is pretty certain that it is just to get she and Korra out of her hair, but the scavenger hunt sounds fun enough. She looks, impressed by the art, some beautiful, some gory, all of it giving her goose bumps on her ivory skin.

Asami looks up as she thinks she sees the painting, but Azula has the tips of her fingers resting on one drawing in particular. It is beautiful; it is an ink painting, a fairly simple one, and the coloring is left unfinished. It is of a very stunning, young, nude woman with messy black hair and half colored red lips, the eyes touched golden and then seemingly rethought and remixed to be a different shade than before.

"She's beautiful," Asami says and she gets a silent look in response. "Do you know her? Or the painter?"

"Yes," Azula replies and Asami furrows her brow in confusion.

She just knows that this woman has been colder than the South Pole and more bitter than aged cactus juice for the entire investigation, and more focused than Lin Beifong, but now her frigid eyes are dewy with wistful tears.

It is the look Asami's father had when he looked at things that belonged to her mother.

"I'm purchasing this. And, you seem to be competent enough to have found the painting we were looking for. Perhaps we will purchase you a treat on our way home," Azula says coldly, but her voice cracks just slightly.

Asami nods and picks up the painting of the Ransacking of Ba Sing Se. Azula takes the picture, which is not on canvas, just plain paper.

"Have whatever you want for these," Azula says cavalierly as the salesgirl pops her gum again. Tsuki Gao generally makes Korra want to smash her into the wall with a blast of airbending, but she smiles at Asami and walks out.

"That was a waste of time," Lin sighs as they step out onto the much cooler street.

"Not quite," Korra says as optimistically as possible. "We can go to that charity thing, right? Get to dress up and go undercover...?"

"That does sound fun," Asami whispers.

"Fun enough, at least."

Asami then says, "I really have to deal with my house. I'll come to the station as soon as I'm done."

"Can I help?" Korra asks softly and Asami nods.

"I really don't care," Lin replies, "but I am going to walk you two out of this borough, Avatar and competent warrior or not. You two have a knack for trouble, and I am not dealing with Korra's price of street damage on top of this nonsense."

Korra laughs faintly and drifts closer to Asami.

"So," Korra says, "Kya really let you eat poison out of the evidence locker?"

Lin sighs. "I was an infant. It was curiosity."

Asami adds, "I can't imagine you as a baby, Lin. I just see an adult you but baby sized," as she holds up two fingers pinched together for reference.

"That's for the best." Lin then thinks about the fact that if this case keeps getting more serious, she might actually have to ask her mother for advice. Kya and Azula are hard enough to deal with... her mother on top of that would be nightmarish. Katara also helped, but Lin does not like that coupling of consultants.

This is both intriguing and thrilling to her, but also frightening.

She does think she would like to collect seashells for a few years after this.

[X]

Korra and Asami drive to Sato Manor to meet up with the several officials helping her quantify the damage and figure out repairs. The Avatar grabs her ex-girlfriend's hand as they walk towards the gap in what once was beautiful.

Asami stares at the ashes and tries to keep her face straight. People are being murdered, and there are so many more important things to deal with. She can buy a new house, and new furniture, and new clothes without making a dent in her account. But she still feels like something has been torn out of her.

She remembers when she and Korra finally had the courage to go their separate ways. Asami felt like someone had pried open her ribs and just rearranged her internal organs before putting them back into place. Asami feels like that right now, as she stares at the rubble and looks at the numerous officers looking for any telling signs behind the obvious arson.

"You probably want to look around," Korra says and Asami nods. "I can airbend the ashes if you want. Or firebend any lasting embers..."

Korra is at a loss for how she can help. She and Asami have been through so much together, and Korra has seen more than she ever imagined she would before running away to Republic City. But, still, Korra sometimes doesn't know just what people need, even as the Avatar.

She thinks she needs to do some past life consulting as soon as she's in the state of mind to meditate.

Asami walks, stepping over broken wood, going directly towards her bedroom. She moves towards the melted husk of a safe and glances to Korra. The Avatar is glad to help, and metalbends it open.

Emerald eyes glisten with tears of joy as she picks up what she had in the safe.

"A little of smoke damage, but nothing bad," she says excitedly, barely able to contain her emotion.

Korra examines what was inside. A few legal documents and important knick-knacks like keys that must be to old warehouses and factories. But there are so many pictures, beautiful ones. The one she is clutching as tightly as she can hold is of her family, before her mother died.

As Korra averts her eyes and tries to give Asami some privacy, she picks up a letter she recognizes.

"You saved this?" Korra breathes and Asami wordlessly nods. "I..." Contortion of Korra's face as she throws her arms around Asami tightly. "I missed you, okay?"

"I missed you too," Asami breathes into her ear, and as they start to pull apart, they move to kiss each other, but change their minds halfway through, blushing.

Asami puts her belongings into her bag and goes back to surveying with the Avatar.

"You know," Korra says, "I have this memory that's not mine. I have a couple of those. It's of acorns in a burnt down forest. I used to dream about it at night when I was a kid and it was kinda scary. _But_ I also remember that they meant one day the trees would grow back and the forest would be beautiful again."

Asami looks at her with a tiny smile. "You're trying to be poetic, huh?"

"And failing..." Korra grimaces, but Asami's eyes glitter in amusement.

They wind up near the garage they stopped at before the date that led them here.

"How did _this _survive," Asami groans, shaking her head. It only hurts when she laughs.

"Because The Ultimate Cure to Insomnia, Asami Sato's Officially Dead Archaic Satomobile that Has Nothing Going for It But a Nice Paintjob is the _future_!" Korra declares, airbending off the remains of the cover and revealing a shockingly intact old car.

"Dad built these to last I guess," Asami says, scratching her head. "It just looks a little bit warped here and there. I wish I could get it back to your apartment."

Korra smiles. "I think I know how."

"This is going to be dangerous, huh?"

"Naga will be your chariot polar bear dog," Korra says and Asami can only laugh. "It's a great idea."

"If Naga is up to it, I am. But I have to talk to these lawyers."

They want to kiss, they really do, but as Korra leans forward, Asami gently brushes away and goes to the professionals waiting outside of the rubble.

[X]

Asami sorts out the details of her insurance, and everything can be paid off and rebuilt, to her relief. Her last stop is the police station, and here she sits, the picture of her family stuffed into her scarlet coat pocket.

She starts thinking about all of the memories that must have been in the artwork she saw in the apartment.

"We bought Yumi lots of clothes," Kya declares, holding up bags. Bolin flashes a smile and Zirah shrugs happily.

Yumi scowls. "They made me try them all on."

"I bet they're... interesting," Asami says slowly, looking at the wide array of shop labels printed on the paper bags. Bolin, Kya and Zirah seem to have distinctly different tastes.

"They're okay." Yumi shrugs.

"You have to do a fashion show," Zirah insists and Yumi squints at her. "Go on. It's so fun. I used to do fashion shows all the time for my cousin, uh, second cousin."

"Second cousin?"

"My mom's cousin," Zirah says pointedly. "That is a second cousin... I think..."

"It is," Bolin says and Zirah nods.

"Fine, fine, I'll do your fashion show," Yumi shouts, grabbing Kya by the arm and tugging her towards the bathroom.

Korra pulls up chairs, and Asami sits right next to her.

[X]

After the impromptu fashion show, Korra is playing tag very loudly with Yumi, Bolin getting a reluctant Mako to join in. Mako is laughing, even though he knows that they should not be doing this in the middle of the police station. Asami is peering through the window of Chief Beifong's office, trying to look like she is not spying.

She can see Lin and Zirah going over the painting and pulling out dusty old files that Toph Beifong shelved away long ago. The woman who commandeered the investigation, however, is sitting with the painting Asami saw her buy on her lap, and, even more shocking, Kya is next to her, silently. Both of them sitting there, looking at it.

"Did you know?" Asami hears Kya say at last and she glances over to make sure no one can see that she is trying to overhear. "Did you know that she made it?"

Silence. Asami doubts Azula is going to respond, but she slowly shakes her head.

"No." And then she and Kya, who seemed to be her bitter enemy, sit there silently yet again. She looks _compassionate_, and Asami does not want to think about how complex relationships can be.

How it was really easy for she and Korra to mistake each other as just being friendly and close, when really they were flirting super hard with each other, none the wiser. Or how right now, she _wants _to be with Korra, but she _knows _she will probably get hurt again. Or how Mako is still great friends with Asami and Korra, despite their speckled past. Bolin marrying _Eska_ of all people. Kya and Lin, and how turbulent they are, and how ribbing every comment is.

She is not sure what to make of any of this.

"I'm really sorry," Kya says quietly. "It looks pretty good. _You _look pretty good."

Asami's eyebrows shoot up. _That's _who the painting was of, and Asami did not even notice. Whoever _she _is, however, Asami has no clue.

Lin emerges from her conference with Zirah, files in hand, and gives one last order to her team of actually helpful people and assorted hangers on.

"You all go get some actual sleep, and tomorrow we'll work out the plan for the charity gala."

[X]

Back at Korra's apartment, the radio is on a soft jazz station and Korra thinks her soft breathing is impossible to hear over the music. It makes for a stunning backdrop to what is in front of her, as she tries to figure out a recipe of soup for lunch with Yumi offering assistance that tends to be the opposite of helping.

It is Asami's favorite station, and the force of her cocked eyebrow about the DJ and his smooth, rumbling voice would make Korra jealous as jealous could be. Asami is deeply, intensely focused on her notebook, and Korra can see out of the corner of her sapphire eye that Asami has abandoned her attempts to write down her insurance claims and is now drawing plans for impossible things.

But Asami's illustrations of impossible things, she somehow makes possible. And that floors Korra every single time, even if she should be used to it by now. The soft song comes to an end and crackles to the voice of Asami's DJ crush, _"Well, that was 'Stardust' by Jazure Zhu-Ro, and you are listening to the Republic City River. For your news break, I've heard it through the spirit vine that Sato Manor was burned down yesterday…"_

"Korra," Asami says loudly, and Korra nearly drops the pan of hot soup. "Korra, can you turn that off?"

The Avatar quickly obliges, and then uses an expert combination of firebending and airbending to finish the soup several minutes early. She pours a bowl for Yumi first and quietly thanks her for helping out, and then one for Asami and one for herself.

Asami sits and stares at her food, and Korra tries to think of something, anything to say.

"You doing alright, buddy?" _Buddy. _Buddy. Korra feels ridiculous, her cheeks flushed as Asami examines the soup in her spoon, her thoughts too distance to notice Korra's gaffe.

"Yeah, buddy," Asami replies weakly, a glint in her eyes.

Thankfully, toddlers like to talk, and Yumi seizes control of the afternoon and evening. Korra and Asami do at last get her to bed in what Korra found out was a guest room, with Naga next to Yumi to keep her safe, and the two girls flop down by the window exhaustedly.

"How do they get more active when they're tired?" Korra groans and Asami just laughs.

"That sounds kind of like you," Asami teases and Korra rolls her eyes. "I think Yumi might take after you."

Korra is a bit speechless after that statement, which Asami does not retract.

"But she clearly will take the Sato family name. It will get her into all the top notch preschools," Korra continues and Asami smiles.

"Yes, of course. But _you _are in charge of her last minute school projects."

"Then I guess you wind up with when she's _late_."

"We should invest in a safety net for her," Asami mutters at the thought of her someday racing Yumi to school.

"Maybe a helmet, given our lines of work."

"Some soft padding around her, in case we drop her," Asami says, grinning now.

"And we can split bedtime fifty-fifty," Korra finishes.

They have nothing more to say, just glowing smiles as they forget the ashes and the copy-cat killer for a moment.

Asami's thoughts do drift to a darker place for a moment, however. The picture of her parents, whatever was going on with Princess Azula...

"Korra," Asami says quietly as she rolls over slightly. Right now they are looking at the moon, but she thinks that they might witness the sunrise yet again. "If I were to, uh, this is ridiculous… I shouldn't…"

"No, no, _do_," Korra says, hoping she does not sound too eager.

"If I were to die tomorrow, what would you regret most?" Asami asks weakly, hoping she does not sound melodramatic.

Korra just licks her lips, thinking about it for a moment. "That I never did this."

And, without a moment of regret, the Avatar leans forward and kisses Asami more passionately than she ever has in her life.


	6. The Gala

**Chapter Six: **The Gala

* * *

Asami wakes, feeling very disoriented.

She takes a deep breath as she hears the buzz of the city outside. Usually her room at home was much quieter, and then she realizes that she no longer has a room at home, until she begins rebuilding. The next thing she notices is that she is curled on the window seat in Korra's apartment, drenched in sunlight and above the smooth, grey street below.

Slowly, she gets up and stretches, her body feeling as if it were stuffed into a tight box. She then remembers the kiss she and Korra shares. Asami does not regret it for an instant. In fact, it was one of the best feelings she has had in a very long time.

Her emerald eyes flit around the room as she searches for Avatar Korra, and she finds her struggling to make eggs as Yumi waits very impatiently, examining herself in the glossy mirror. Yumi keeps pushing on her tooth and Asami's neck muscles tense at how dirty her little hands must be after the police station and sleeping against Naga, her hands in the polar bear dog's fur.

Is she becoming maternal? There is some odd instinct about it, about her connected feeling towards Yumi. She feels for the orphan, for how much she reminds Asami of herself. And more so, her past feelings for Korra that never truly faded make them feel like a very odd and dysfunctional miniature family.

Korra notices Asami is awake and drops something half squishy and half burnt onto the floor. She grimaces and adjusts the tie on her lopsided wolf tails.

"What was that supposed to be?" Asami asks, laughing and Korra gazes at it for a moment with sad, poodle-monkey eyes.

"A waffle," Korra murmurs and Asami cannot stifle her laughter for a second. Yumi looks even more unimpressed, and Asami turns to see that she is wearing her hair like Korra's today, which is possibly the cutest thing that Asami Sato has ever seen in her life.

"Do you want some help?" Asami offers. "I don't really know much about cooking, but two is better than one."

Yumi does not look very hopeful about that suggestion.

[X]

It feels like there should be a cover of grey clouds, but, instead, the sky is an impenetrably bright blue. Asami still sees the tale of her home's demise, yet they have been pushed to small print at the bottom of front pages; she is no longer in the news.

But she will be, the moment she goes to that gala.

It is very fun for Asami being the cover story for people trying to catch a serial killer.

"We managed," Korra remarks as they walk down the sun-drenched and steamy street.

Yumi is putting the street noodles into her mouth as Asami holds both of their teas.

"We bought breakfast on the way," Asami corrects with a cocked eyebrow.

"Exactly; we managed." Korra grins at her, and she does not think they have ever felt more in love. And that is the most terrifying thing that either girl can imagine.

Particularly since they are going to meet Bolin and Eska to shop for clothes. Clothes for the Gala that is likely to have a serial killer at it, who definitely does not want to see or deal with the Avatar and the police.

They reach the fashion district, and track down Bolin trying to decide between two belts as Eska sighs.

With a wave, the afternoon is blissful, and the problems of the past days are forgotten, if only for a little while.

[X]

That evening, Avatar Korra finds herself walking down a red carpet, surrounded by flashing lights and shouting reporters. The stars are invisible, but Korra thinks she has forgotten what they look like; she had just glanced up when some loud reporter called the people arriving _stars_.

Korra looks at Asami beside her and finds it pretty funny that they are dates to one of these crazy events again. Well, maybe not dates, but they aren't with anybody else, or hiding on opposite sides of the room.

"Now you can't say that I don't take you anywhere nice," Korra declares as she links Asami's elbow with hers and grins at the cameras.

Asami can imagine the tabloids tomorrow, about she and Korra potentially being back together. Better yet, she and Korra engaged! Or anything else loud and catchy that they can think of. But, honestly, her love life on the front pages is definitely reprieve from her burnt down mansion.

They sparkle on the carpet and it feels thrilling to them both. Yumi is clutched in hand, Bolin and Eska looking glamorous and definitely going to be chattered about. The Avatar's companion marrying the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe is kind of a big deal. Not to mention being accompanied by royalty.

Chief Lin Beifong is incredibly displeased by all of that.

"You're missing the big picture," Kya says to her as they at last escape the paparazzi and press. "The more noise we make about ourselves, the less it looks like we're trying to catch a killer, right? Because what idiots would be doing _that _instead of being as sneaky as possible."

She gestures at Bolin making muscles at cameras and Korra trying to up show him, her sapphire eyes occasionally glancing at Asami.

"I hate to say it, but I think you might have a point," Lin remarks dryly with a defeated sigh.

"No one is asking us how we look so young," Kya grumbles as she glances at Zirah and her aunt, with Mako looking quite befuddled between them.

"They would if I weren't giving them the _you will go to prison _if you ask me a question look."

"It sucks being your platonic date," Kya mutters before walking and putting her arms over Mako and Zirah.

The reporter uncomfortably smiles and says, "And the Avatar's daughter, accompanying the Avatar who ─"

Kya clears her throat and says, "I will take that sexist question you gave the honorable princess. She looks great from sucking the souls out of children to retain her youth. It's like, you know, those old crones who kidnap kids and just steal their souls. Right out of their bodies."

Lin rolls her eyes and escapes the carpet as quickly as she can.

"I am all natural," Kya adds, cocking an eyebrow and smirking before slipping away. Korra and Asami look at her in confusion as they are rushed along.

"That was impressive," Korra manages to say as they at last get into the packed and shining building.

"This isn't my first charity gala. I am a master of embarrassing family members in front of the press." Kya smiles faintly at her work. "Alright, now we have to very casually find that art piece. And maybe hit up the open bar on our way."

"I adopted her as my fun aunt," Korra whispers in Asami's ear and the heiress giggles at that. "We should get her together with Lin. Seeing as they kept trying it with us."

Asami frowns faintly and Korra does realize the dampened mood when they realize the fact that they are not together, and might not be again. Sometimes a kiss is just a kiss, and they both want the kiss their shared to be one of those.

It is less intimidating. They know they will hurt each other again.

But for tonight, they are going to have fun.

They could use that.

"I don't know about her and Lin," Asami says as she squints at the Chief of Police. "I mean, they look so cute. But Lin doesn't seem to be into... anything. And isn't Kya married? I noticed her necklace a while ago but never asked."

Korra swallows. "Her wife died ten years ago."

"Oh." Asami blushes not with happiness, but with genuine regret for the conversation. "But she's the only person around who is so cheery and easygoing."

"She said she didn't let the idea of getting hurt win. Or something like that." Korra keeps the comments from Kya about how being with someone you love is worth a broken heart or ten.

Asami does not seem to want to hear that.

"We lost Yumi," Asami exclaims in utter terror. "Please tell me she's with Bolin and Eska. How did I lose her within two minutes?"

Korra looks at her and her face falls. This is definitely the most irresponsible thing they have _ever _done, even in their early days accepting the role of Avatar and a CEO barely out of her teens.

"She was _just_ in my hand. Okay, I'm sure she just..." They were so blinded by the cameras. "Come on."

Asami runs with Korra beside her, apologizing swiftly as they push the socialites out of their way. They go down a hallway that is abandoned, hoping that it leads to the balcony and is not as filled with people as the main stairs.

Then they see her ─ a girl with wolf tails and a red jumper, running down the hallway. Asami and Korra exchange a glance as Yumi keeps going.

Their hearts escalate into panic as they think they are going to lose her.

Korra suddenly realizes that wildebeest instinct, that makes mothers be able to do impossible things to save their children. Even if Yumi isn't quite hers, she moves as fast as she can, slipping into the Avatar State like a switch that she naturally flips without a second thought.

No, not Yumi.

"Avatar State," Korra chokes out and she tries to catch her breath to go into it, despite the turmoil and focus.

But before she needs to, a woman walks towards them with Yumi in her arms. She smiles warmly at them both and Asami and Korra exchange a glance of relief.

"Thank you so much," Asami says as the woman approaches and Yumi looks at Asami and Korra with her head cocked to the side.

Yumi's rescuer smells strongly of perfume and roses, as well as something sweet and metallic. It is the only thing Korra notices about her; she is only looking at Yumi's eyes and hair as she embraces her.

"Why did you run off like that?" Korra asks quietly, and when she looks up to thank the woman, she is long gone.

"I was following mom," Yumi whispers gently and Korra knits her brow.

"I thought she..." Asami does not finish her sentence, but Yumi makes it clear with her face that she knows the reality.

"She had the same hair and skirt," Yumi explains softly, her words slurred and quiet.

Korra nods. From knee level, it would be easy to mistake someone else for her mom. Korra definitely hugged the legs of strangers in the Water Tribe because she thought that they were her mother. Asami looks at Korra, and they walk back into the ballroom, seeking out Bolin and finding him in the corner with Lin and Kya.

"We found the painting," Bolin says quietly as Korra and Asami approach. "Why are you guys so out of breath?"

"No reason." Asami exhales and Korra holds Yumi tighter.

"Right. We didn't even see the collection, but we were able to get an address _very_ legally."

"We had probable cause," Lin says, although she seems less than confident on the legality of what she just did.

"Legal or not, we have an address," Bolin says, holding up the notes with a huge grin.

Korra is still trying to calm her pulse, Yumi on her lap. Asami looks dizzy, but otherwise fine. Kya glances at Lin and then both older women stare down the younger quartet and toddler.

"And we should go now. The chance is that they're still there," Kya says and Lin nods. "Or at least have the collection or evidence lying around. If they were willing to leave their address, they probably aren't expecting company."

[X]

They quickly depart, Asami taking the helm, with Lin as the worst backseat driver in history. The group changes to the best of their ability in the car, trying to liberate themselves in case this breaks out into a nasty fight. Yumi is with Zirah and Mako, and seems happy enough about it.

Korra still has her heart pounding as she realizes that she might bring this sick killer down. It actually... seems _way _too easy for anything she has done as the Avatar. And that just makes it worse.

They wind up in a genuinely frightening part of town. It looks abandoned long ago, and there is a mixture of old style buildings and failed attempts at new shops. Glass is broken in the streets, and not a single soul is out. Korra has to admit that it does not make chasing a serial killer any less frightening.

The address is of a manor with huge walls around it. It looks locked off like a fortress, except with some pretty decor, and it is absolutely where Asami would put a very tactless killer. It would almost be funny if they did not have to break through those locks and go inside.

Korra feels her stomach twist. Nothing about this feels right.

"What even is this place?" whispers Bolin with an expression of disgust.

Kya, Lin and Eska have moved to positions that give them a decent point of view of the manor at all angles, leaving Korra, Asami and Bolin to brave the creepy house alone.

The ivy and weeds growing over the tall wrought iron fences that probably break Republic City regulation are off-putting enough without how utterly creepy it is. It is Colonial Fire Nation style and therefore sticks out like a sore thumb surrounded by dingy liquor stores and abandoned boutiques. Maybe it was nice here at one point; it is hard to tell.

They walk forward and find more locks than Korra can even count.

"Obviously, someone doesn't want us to get in," Asami says quietly, glancing between Korra and Bolin. The trio genuinely wish that they had more back-up than Kya, Lin and Eska in position to make sure that the suspect does not make a run for it.

Korra begins to metalbend a key, even though she is unsure if it will work or not. But before she can, Asami has smashed all of the locks with a heavy stone lying at the front gate. She drops it with a thud, wipes the dirt off of her hands and pushes open the gate to an even more overgrown pathway.

They walk, all on edge and prepared to fight, but there is no resistance or even observation of them. The door is eerie, somehow. It has chafed red paint and tarnished golden knobs. But Korra is bold enough to push it open.

It creaks loudly and Bolin grabs Asami's hand. She smiles weakly at him, even though she is probably more frightened than he is.

Korra lights the palm of her hand and guides the way inside to a house of beautiful Fire Nation antique furniture. It all must have been expensive, priceless even. But it is covered in cobwebs, and seemingly abandoned for no reason.

That does not bode well with the Avatar and her friends.

A loud crackle rings out and the three of them all scream as a song warbles out for a split second and the radio is silenced again.

"This place is _definitely _haunted," Bolin whispers and Korra thinks she might actually agree with him.

"Alright, if you had to hide your serial killer evidence...?" Korra asks slowly, looking at the very unwelcoming, carpeted stairs.

"Those are prints of some paintings we saw at the Gao Estate," Asami points out, looking at them. They are dusty, and the portraits are definitely the type with the eyes that follow you around the room.

"Upstairs we go," Korra forces herself to say. She is sure a few of her past lives must have done scarier things than this. In fact, _she _has done scarier things than this.

They clamber up as quietly as they can, and the bedrooms seem to be infinite. The trio look around and Korra lights the old, half-melted lamps. _Okay_, definitely haunted. The shadows flicker and Korra and Asami both walk ahead to the master bedroom.

Bolin pauses in the bathroom and quietly raids the medicine cabinet for anything informative. Spiderflies rain out onto him and he fights back another scream, waving his hands as Korra blasts air towards him and they narrowly miss her friend.

"Alright, into the freaky bedroom at the end of the spooky hall," Asami says reluctantly, holding out her hand. Korra takes it without hesitation and squeezes it tightly.

The two of them walk down the hallway and look at the relics in dusty glass, long abandoned.

"Those are from the One Hundred Year War," Korra says softly as she rubs the dust off of one of them. "This one looks... metal-ish."

Asami kneels beside Korra to look at it. She struggles to remember her history books before the recollection hits her.

"That's a chunk of warship," she says softly, pointing at the patch of sail folded neatly below it. "This place must have been built... forever ago, I guess."

"Or maybe just a collector?" Korra shrugs and stands up, still not releasing Asami.

They stride forward towards the dark bedroom, hand in hand. Asami halfway expects to find a skeleton. But as she tries not to choke on the dust, Korra lights her palm and they both recoil in fear and disgust.

The walls, the walls are the first thing that they notice, in utter horror. If anything is the lair of a crazy person, it is absolutely this. They are plastered with newspaper and parchment covered in notes. Some of the ink is fresh, and some of the articles are recent.

"Bolin!" Asami calls out. "Go get Lin!"

"Okay!" he replies loudly, and they watch him head downstairs before moving forward to examine them more closely.

"Evidence?" Korra suggests with Asami, going towards the drawers and the very lived in bed. This is the only room that isn't museum-esque. Someone has definitely been living here, and it smells metallic and sweet, with just a hint of rose and sharp perfume.

"I smelled that," Asami whispers. "At the gala." She squeezes her eyes shut and then they flicker open. "The woman who saved Yumi. And then just ran away... she smelled just like this place."

Korra suddenly feels her heart start pounding. Her Avatar senses are picking up a very, very bad feeling about this manor. And she tries to reach out around herself mentally, to find any missing piece that could solve the infinite puzzle of this case.

The Avatar spins around, and is torn from her attempt at a reverie, when the door slams shut and she and Asami scream again. But Asami's scream involve her trying to pull back, but Korra grabs her and fumbles to light a fire again, albeit her shaking hands making it difficult. It is dark, very dark, and Korra at last stops shaking and lights her hand again, seeing something moving in the shadows, but Asami still at her side.

"We have to get out of─" Korra demands, her flames going around wildly as she clings to Asami. There is a shuffling of footsteps in the shadows, and Korra twists around her hand and searches for a lamp, turning in a circle, unable to keep her eyes on one place for long.

Her heart is beating too fast, and when she swivels back to where Asami was just moments ago, she sees Asami with a strange expression that Korra has never seen. And partially engulfed in the shadows, Korra sees a glint of green eyes for the flicker of a second between the Avatar lunging for an attack, to pin down their perpetrator. But when the shadowy figure slips away, Korra doesn't pursue her.

She doesn't pursue her because Asami's strange expression was not of shock, or being held.

"I'm... uhm..." Asami blinks several times, her eyes fluttering. Korra does not often see her speechless, and she lights her fire the brightest it has been since they arrived.

It is worse than Yumi, it is worse than anything that has ever sent Korra into a panic before. The blood is on Asami, spreading further and further as Korra runs to pull her into her arms. Asami was not invulnerable; Korra knew that deep down. But together, they felt invincible.

Korra lets out a wordless cry as Asami's lips move and the CEO tries to think of the right words to say. All she can feel as the sharp, sharp pain that came when Korra tried to attack the hands that grabbed Asami before she could even think of fighting back. It seemed planned, like a trap, but right now, Asami thinks she is holding her insides in with only her hands, and watching the Avatar swell with overwhelming emotion.

"I'm fine. Korra, it's not bad. I just," Asami yelps and Korra tenses, squeezing her sapphire eyes shut to not think about the hot blood seeping through Asami's shirt and onto Korra's dark hand. "I just would really appreciate going to the hospital."

"Did they stab you?" Korra asks, and Asami just looks at her. Not in any one emotion, or anger, or fear. Just staring at her with the fact that no more needs to be said.

"Hospital," Bolin repeats and Asami nods before she starts to feel very dizzy. Her face is ashen and Bolin rushes to help Korra support her.

The engineer keeps muttering about how she is fine, but her voice starts fading and Korra starts barely being able to focus on finding their way back out of this nightmarish manor. Maybe it really is a nightmare. _Please _let it just be a nightmare, Korra pleads.

"Asami!" Bolin screams as he drops his rocks and runs to her. Korra takes Asami into her arms and holds her tightly, brushing her hair out of her face.

"We have to get her out of here," Kya demands, grabbing water from her side and moving to start the healing. "I'll take them to the hospital and we can come back."

"I'm _coming_," Bolin demands fiercely and Lin looks at the room of evidence, and then at Kya carefully healing Asami's very deep wound. It punctures her insides and that is making the laid back waterbender panic as much as Korra and Bolin.

Lin again looks at the evidence, but she drops that thought and immediately helps them with Asami, rushing to the nearest hospital as fast as they can move, all the while Kya keeping a clear head to keep Asami from bleeding out in the back of Lin's car, and Korra chewing her nails and feeling _so helpless_, despite being the Avatar.

There are tears pouring uncontrollably from the Avatar's eyes as she watches Kya heal, and Bolin mutter things to try to make a very unconscious Asami feel better.

She fell in love with Asami again, and this is what happened because of it.

[X]

They make it to Republic City Hospital in time and Asami is quickly ushered away, even though Korra keeps demanding that they let her come alongside them.

Korra sits down with her head between her knees in a waiting room with soothing water fountains and gentle lavender scents. But none of it is calming the Avatar in the slightest as she stares at her feet and feels her teardrops rolling from her face and dropping onto the cold floor.

Bolin at lasts speaks up, after too long, "Korra, it's going to be okay. Asami is too tough to let a stab wound bring her down."

"I know," Korra whispers, but she is having trouble keeping faith right now.

[X]

Kya was difficult to pry away from Asami, but Lin was leaving, and she went too. Because while Kya wants to remain positive, she also has the need to see what happened. To figure out what sick person could have just done this to the people she loves. Korra should be by Asami's side; Kya should be the adult and get to work with the police.

The sun is rising and the gala is long over, but Asami is still hospitalized.

Kya and Lin have now been joined by Mako, Azula and Zirah, as well as assorted police. They all carefully examine the walls, and search for any personal affects that could be incriminating. Lin is in deep focus as Kya looks around.

"That perfume is dreadful," Kya remarks, wrinkling her nose. "But... I think I've smelled it before."

"Akai Tsuki," is the first thing the slender, heeled old woman remarks confidently. "Akai Tsuki perfume, but not quite. It's usually lavender, fire-lilies, orange blossom and iris, but the orange blossom is replaced with roses."

"How common is it?" Lin asks.

"Discontinued even in the Fire Nation, rare even there before, and I've only known one person who replaced orange blossom with roses."

"Who?" Mako asks, a bit overexcited.

"Myself."

"Don't you think that was some important information?" Mako snaps and the princess just shrugs in her damned stilettos.

"This was the clubhouse for the Agni Kai Triad inner circle, for a while. I haven't been here in fifty years."

Mako breathes in slowly and inquires, "So when was it left by the Agni Kai Triad? Where else did they go around? Who were they?"

She raises an arched and colored eyebrow. "You ask too many questions."

To which Mako can only rub his temples as Zirah laughs quietly.

Lin then asks, "Right. So this clubhouse was abandoned?"

"Supposedly. I didn't exactly stop by to bring the people I sold out tea and cookies. It also kind of smells like someone died in the closet, so I'd look there if anyone here isn't squeamish," she says coldly, still running her manicured but weathered fingers over the newspapers, clearly looking for something that she has no intent of sharing.

Kya warned Lin. Oh, she did, and she keeps giving Lin that _I told you so _glance every time Princess Azula says anything.

Zirah and Mako walk together to the closet and examine it for a moment.

"So, uh, count of three?" Mako offers, rubbing his neck and looking at the closet with intensifying dread.

"Okay," Zirah offers with a sharp nod, and they both seized the gilded handles and after Mako counts to three, they pull it open, and go stumbling back when something makes a very sickening thud in front of them.

And all Lin can say to that is, quite sarcastically, "Wonderful."

Kya is the only one to speak. "That is a dead body."

Mako tries to put on a steely face, but this is definitely unlike anything he has ever seen. No fresh blood, no distinguishable features. It is old, that is for sure. It is old and decomposing.

It is old, and they are finding more questions than answers every day.

[X]

"Isn't it funny?" Korra asks, her voice somewhat weak. Asami glances up at her.

"What?" Asami Sato cannot quite figure out what is funny about this situation.

"You wouldn't have to be here with me, in this horrible situation. Do you ever think of what would happen if you didn't run over Mako?" Korra asks quietly, wringing her hands and looking at the hospital bed. "Or maybe we just never..."

"_Korra_," Asami says with vigor, vehemence and everything in between, "there is _no life _I would want to live in that didn't have you in it."

Korra looks at her hands and is so unsure how to respond to Asami. Because the CEO looks virulent about how much she loves Korra, and Korra would look the same way if she could not remember how many ways they hurt each other by accident.

It can't happen again.

"I feel the same way," Korra admits honestly, even though the guilt is agonizing. Everybody who gets mixed up with her gets hurt somehow, and it is a little bit painful, to be honest.

They sit in silence as Korra wonders if she should get Asami a book or think of some witty conversation (which isn't quite her strong suit). But, at last, they have reprieve when Chief Lin Beifong walks inside of the room.

"It's not safe right now for Asami and Yumi," Lin says and Korra's sapphire eyes flash in terror. _No_, she refuses to leave Asami _ever _again. "This situation is getting worse by the minute, unsurprisingly. I want Asami to escort Yumi to Zaofu for a few weeks."

Korra's jaw juts out at that. "_No_. Asami is tough, and I'm the Avatar. I'm the Avatar and I can protect them!"

_No, I couldn't, _whispers that doubtful part of her.

Lin shrugs. "I'd like you to help us with this case. We're going back to the house tomorrow to figure more out. But if you want to protect them, you can go with them, or even take them to the South Pole if you want to so bad. I don't honestly have any stake in this."

Korra starts wringing her hands again and Asami wants to pull them apart, but right now she is extremely sleepy. After Asami falls asleep, Yumi tucked in beside her, Korra looks at them both.

She remembers how she felt when she saw Yumi in danger. She remembers how part of breaking up with Asami was because Korra was so obsessed with her getting hurt.

Korra knows she needs a much wiser opinion on the matter, and so she slips out of the room that Asami and Yumi are snuggled in, and walks towards the tea pavilion that is peaceful and serene. It is the perfect place for meditation, and it is perfectly restricted at this hour, so no one is around.

It takes a few focused breaths and more control than Korra thought she could have after tonight's nightmare. But at last, she exhales and sees the image of Avatar Aang in front of her. They sit across from each other, almost like old friends. _Exactly _like old friends.

"What am I supposed to do, Aang?" Korra asks weakly, and he seems deep in thought.

Korra could use just a little hope and direction right now.


	7. Chasing the Girl

**Chapter Seven: **Chasing the Girl

* * *

In the courtyard of the hospital, Korra sits with a visage of Aang in directly front of her.

"I need some advice," Korra says earnestly and Aang nods. "Asami got hurt. She got stabbed and it was my fault for getting her stuck in this."

The previous Avatar waits patiently as Korra's lip trembles against her volition. But after a heartbeat, she composes herself with a few deep breaths and gazes at the apparition in front of her.

"Is she getting better?" Aang inquires out of genuine concern.

"Yeah. Kya did a good job, and so did the hospital. But Lin says that Asami should go to Zaofu for safety." Korra rubs her face, averting her eyes in shame. "I... I'm _so selfish_. I don't want her to go away, even though it's for her own good. And I can't go with her because the world needs me right now. This is exactly why we broke up."

Korra now cannot suppress the silent tears rolling from her eyes. This situation with Asami is too complicated for her to handle. It is not how her life was supposed to go, but, of course, things took these crazy stupid turns that land her in awful positions.

Aang is silent for a moment. "I don't think it's selfish to want to be with the person you love."

"I think it is, when being with her is risking her life. I know that Asami is strong, and I know that I am too, but if she got hurt just because I wanted to be around her..." Korra gazes at the courtyard pavement beneath her.

"You should focus on helping the world. Asami can help herself, and even if you let her go, she might just come back." It is not advice Korra wants to hear, but it is advice that she agrees with.

Her sigh lets on just how much she does not want to let Asami go.

[X]

The inside of the hospital is quiet at this hour of night, and smells faintly of lavender incense. It is calming, even when Korra is aching so much about having to make this choice. She wishes being the Avatar was how she imagined when she was a kid; all fun and excitement.

Her life is honestly is just a sequence of difficult decisions.

Korra walks into Asami's hospital room, in which the CEO is looking very unhappy and uncomfortable. Lin stands sentinel, and every time Asami tries to strike up conversation the Chief of Police just gives one word answers.

"I'm so glad you're back," Asami says softly when she sees Korra, not bothering to hide her relief.

Lin does not seem to care; she just looks at Korra and awaits her decision.

Korra swallows as she sits down beside Asami. Being close to her feels so warm, this strange, creeping sensation that the Avatar can hardly fathom or explain. Asami is placid, particularly now while in a daze, but she has this brilliant fire burning in her.

And Korra being too close to her can do nothing but quench it. _That _the Avatar can comprehend.

"You should to go to Zaofu with Yumi. I'm gonna stay here and help catch this killer," Korra says, spouting all of the words in the same breath.

Asami does not look bothered by the suggestion, and Korra wonders if that is a bad thing or a good thing. It is good that Asami is alright with the plan, but it makes Korra feel _bad_.

"Well, just call me Witness Protector Sato," Asami says, smiling. She does not want to leave Republic City, not when she is still dealing with the trouble of her burnt down mansion and saving the city with her best friends in the world.

But she has no problem leaving with Yumi. Su and her family are friendly, and Asami also can feel the uncomfortable tension between she and Korra. It probably is for the best.

"Right," Lin says as Korra and Asami gaze at each other, unsure what to say. "I already bought train tickets for Asami and Yumi. I'll drop them off on my way to the station tomorrow."

Korra looks at Lin and nods.

She turns to Asami, parting her lips to say something, but not a sound comes out.

"I'll check in with you once we get there. You know, so you know that no train bandits got me and Yumi." Asami smiles and Korra just nods.

There is not much else to say.

Not much else to say that would not complicate already complicated matters.

[X]

The next day, after Lin drops Asami and Yumi off, the team is all gathered at the abandoned mansion, still sifting through mountains of possible evidence. Bolin is inside of the closet; he was the only one that could be talked into entering it after what popped out when it was opened.

"I found something cool in the creepy dead body closet!" Bolin calls out and Korra and Mako gravitate towards it. "It's like... a really creepy weird thing."

"What is it?" Korra demands excitedly, her sapphire eyes lighting up. She has been a cloud of quiet misery for the entire morning, but now she is distracted from wondering if she should have told Asami goodbye. "Mako, go help him."

She pushes on his back and the firebender vehemently shakes his head.

"No. I saw a mummified body fall out of the closet. I'm not touching it with a ten foot pole."

Korra scoffs. "And you call yourself a policeman." Eager to accept forgetting Asami, she then wriggles into the closet and finds Bolin, and what appears to be a strange shrine.

The two of them carefully get it out together, making sure that it does not spill all over. Lin, Kya and the rest are all waiting outside once the Avatar and her friend come out, holding the best evidence they've found so far.

"That's Kun Song," Lin says immediately, and Korra almost detects excitement in her voice. It is true that the majority of the pictures are of a single person ─ _Kun Song_.

It is a very handsome and muscular man, who probably is ancient by now, judging by how old the picture is. His tattoos are sprawling across his buff arms, and his dark hair is perfectly neat. He does not look how Korra imagines a serial killer to.

"Who's Kun Song?" Bolin asks, as Mako silently counts the small candles. _Twenty five_.

Lin frowns. "He was the main suspect in the original murders. Of course, we never were able to find out because he killed himself in prison before trial or interrogation."

"Is that why you said it was definitely not the original killer?" Mako inquires, glancing at Lin, Kya and Azula. They all nod in varying ways. "But maybe Kun Song was the wrong guy."

"Maybe." Lin shrugs. "We can never be sure, because the case is still open, but this shrine leads me to believe that our killer thinks he was the one."

Mako thinks quickly, trying to go over dossiers on the Murders of 118 AG in his head. "He had a kid, didn't he?"

Lin nods again as Korra and Bolin wipe the dust off of their clothes and stand.

Korra says honestly, "Well, I'd say starting with the kid might be a good idea."

More discomfort from the three elderly women.

"It was a closed adoption," Lin says dryly, and Mako wonders why she didn't use police influence to find out. She sees his expression and adds, "A closed adoption to a couple in Ba Sing Se. You may or may not have noticed, but requests and paperwork would be more effective if dropped into an incinerator than sent into that city."

"And it didn't seem like a huge deal," Kya says earnestly, recalling her discussions and studies of evidence with Lin. "Now, though, I think a child carrying on their father's work might not be that surprising."

"Good luck in Ba Sing Se," snorts Zirah.

"Mako," Bolin says with a widening grin, as his brother's face becomes ashen, "happens to be like best friends with Prince Wu. Even though there's that parliament or whatever, I'm thinking that Mako could nudge Wu to speed things up a bit."

Korra bursts out laughing, laughing for the first time since she had to let Asami go.

"No." Mako crosses his arms. But at Lin's disapproving glare he sighs and relents. "Alright. Korra, how about we head to Ba Sing Se and try to track down that kid?"

"But... Naga, and, I have a... thing due back to the place," Korra feebly attempts before sighing and rubbing her eyes. Useless.

"Eska and I will gladly babysit Naga," Bolin says without hesitation. His fiancee seems less enthused, but even Korra cannot tell with her. "And do your _thing back at the place_."

"Do any other of you assorted hangers on feel the need to go to Ba Sing Se?" Lin asks with an apathetic and weary expression. "Or is it just Mako and Korra? _The only people in this gaggle that are actually useful..._"

"I'll go." Zirah shrugs. "For, um, political and diplomatic reasons."

Kya winks at Mako, although it went right over his head.

Lin looks around and decides that, yes, the kids going to Ba Sing Se might make it easier to get some police work done in the city. This mansion is still _barely _excavated, and Lin has a good deal of digging to do into those who originally worked on the case.

Including her mother. Possibly more difficult to work with than the princess. And _almost _as difficult to work with as Kya.

[X]

Later that morning, Korra examines the shrine and the fingerprints and does not even see them. She can only see Asami, and how she must pacing or reading at the train station right now, and how much Korra wants to run after her. But Korra knows better than that.

She knows the world needs her much more than her ex-girlfriend.

"We're leaving on an evening train to Ba Sing Se," Mako says, knocking on the door. "We have a couple of hours. How are you doing with the evidence?"

"I don't think my Avatar senses are getting anything right now," Korra says as she continues looking right through her work. It is a treasure trove, but Korra is a million miles away, thinking about Asami, and Yumi and how in less than an hour they are going to be on a speeding train to far away.

It's for their own good, so why does Korra want to be so selfish?

"Go rest downstairs. They cleaned it up for tea breaks," Mako offers with a gentle smile. Korra nods once at him and walks down the steps, heading into the sitting room that once was creepy, but now is a place for police officers to relax.

She finds the fanciest chair, a plush armchair that makes her feel important. Even if right now she feels pretty small, her chest tight. Korra sits in it, looking at the wall, and the table of tea and half-eaten snacks, and the portraits that Korra wishes could talk.

The silence is almost pleasant, until someone walks up behind her.

"Avatar," says the last voice Korra expected. "Are you just going to sit there pouting?"

"I'm not..." Korra _is _kind of sitting alone, pouting in the shadows.

"I thought so." Azula does not move in front of her; there is just a disembodied voice behind the slumped Avatar. "You're just letting that girl go to that train station as you wallow here and we have to deal with your whining, huh?"

"I'm not... Asami and I broke up for good reasons. Asami and I don't exist," Korra says forcefully, knowing at least that is true. Someone else makes a laughing noise and Korra glances over her shoulder to see Kya, Azula and Mako all standing behind her. "Am I a zoo attraction now?" she moans.

"Let me tell you something that I told someone that that person told me," Azula says and Kya snorts derisively. "Only people who are willing to risk everything for something that doesn't exist are the people that history remembers. And also, you should follow that girl. Only total idiots don't follow their ex-girlfriend to the train station when she tries to leave. Honestly, how stupid _are you_?"

"Mako and I agree," Kya states insistently and Korra purses her lips. "Which is why I may or may not have used some illegal methods to delay Asami and Yumi's train and make them have to take tickets that stop with a long layover in Ba Sing Se."

"... what?" Korra cannot believe these people anymore.

Mako remorselessly adds, "Kya just broke the law in order to get us on the same train as Asami. Don't let her down."

"Is she going to be okay tonight?" Korra asks, concerned about Asami and Yumi at the train station while a serial killer is loose and stab happy.

"Well, actually, we've kind of decided to take the train to Ba Sing Se leaving in fifteen minutes. So I suggest we hurry," Mako admits and Kya jingles the keys with an excited gleam in her bright blue eyes.

Korra groans. Apparently she has no choice but to follow that girl.

Kya jingles the keys more ferociously, and Korra stands up. She thinks she really does want to follow that girl.

For better or for worse.

[X]

Korra thinks that perhaps Kya is an even riskier driver than herself.

And possibly with more reckless disregard for traffic laws than Asami in a hurry.

It's like Naga at her most reckless, except way worse because Korra still does not quite trust satomobiles, even after all of these years. But she manages to laugh and try to have fun, while Mako and Zirah are horrified.

Mako's brow is knit with concern as he clutches onto the seat in the back, and Korra looks at the very angry people that Kya is whipping past. Zirah is sitting very straight, leaning back and staring directly ahead. None of them were prepared for this.

Still, all the Avatar can do is laugh. _This is crazy_.

"So, Mako, feel great about involving Kya in your scheme to get me and Asami back together?" Korra asks loudly over the sound of the satomobile.

"Honestly, no!" Mako shouts back, grateful to see a sign for the Republic City Train Station in the distance.

"Stop whining," Kya mutters and Zirah makes a faint whimpering sound.

The final straw is when Kya reaches into her purse just as they wind up on the winding roads cutting through spirit vines.

"WHAT DO YOU NEED IN THERE?" Mako screams as the satomobile swerves slightly and Korra bursts into another fit of laughter. This is fun; fun enough to distract her from the fact that she is chasing after Asami.

Kya snaps, "I'm looking for my mints ─"

Korra snatches the purse away and starts digging through it, although she is laughing at how red Mako's face is.

"I've been driving since these things first came out," Kya remarks loudly as she lets Korra rummage. "You kids are such wimps."

Mako has no clue what to say to that.

[X]

"Yumi, that is very dirty. Don't touch," Asami says sternly as her little witness runs her hands all over the sides of the train station.

It smells like a lavatory in this small, cramped room designated for waiting. She has to admit she is already frustrated that she was told she has to wait an hour and then have an entire night in Ba Sing Se before she can manage to get to Zaofu.

Part of it felt ominous, like maybe she is in for more trouble. But she cannot think that through very carefully while watching Yumi ─

"Do _not _put your hands in your mouth!" Asami exclaims and the old woman sitting beside her looks up to stare.

Yumi holds one hand in front of her face, frozen. Asami starts to breathe a sigh of relief before Yumi jabs her whole, small hand into her mouth against the wishes of her protector. To that, Asami can only groan.

The CEO is still trying to control the witness when three people stumble into the now quite crowded waiting room. Asami glances up, as she does every time someone new is added, half-expecting them to be the killer coming to finish the job.

This time, it is much more startling than that would be.

"Korra?" Asami asks and Yumi runs and smashes into the Avatar excitedly. "Oh, and Mako and Zirah."

Mako certainly does not mind being forgotten briefly. He knows his plans to get his friends back together didn't work out, but he does know that it made an influence on both of them.

As Korra picks up Yumi and ruffles her hair, Mako strides across the humid room and sits beside Asami. She looks at him with a small smile and he notices her hand gently resting over where she was nearly gutted.

"Why are you three here?" Asami asks earnestly. "Not that there's anything bad about that, of course."

Her cheeks flush a gentle pink.

"We're heading to Ba Sing Se to check out some new evidence," Mako explains and Asami does believe him.

She wonders, however, if the Universe is somehow fighting for Asami and Korra's hearts to be together. Asami watches Korra with Yumi, and thinks about the warmth that spreads from her head to toes when she thinks about the kiss they shared in Korra's apartment.

Everything that brought them together since Korra returned from the Fire Nation constantly cross Asami's mind.

Some things are just too strange, strong and frequent to be coincidence.

Those things tend to be orchestrated by Kya.

[X]

The train jostles the four adults and one child as it thunders across the landscape towards Ba Sing Se. Asami is looking at a notebook she was intending on continuing her work about the rebuilding of Sato Manor in, but has turned into a sketchbook of ideas.

It is completely packed, luggage bumping around and people talking loudly. Korra, Zirah, Mako, Asami and Yumi had squeezed into a small set of four chairs that they have to themselves. Their conversation had been quite dull, and filled with the fluttering hearts of the Avatar and her ex-girlfriend.

Now, only four hours have passed out of the long trip, and everyone is cramped, hot and uncomfortable.

"I'm bored," Yumi whines as she sits on Korra's lap.

"Want to hear a story?" Asami offers and Yumi gives her a skeptical yet willing glance. "Alright, this is a myth my mom used to tell me when I was a little girl."

"Mhm...?" Yumi reclines into Korra, whom is pretending not to be listening as intently as she is.

"Alright," Asami begins as she absentmindedly begins tearing an intact page from her notebook. "In Ba Sing Se, a _very _long time ago, an airbender and his nonbending son were locked in a tower, imprisoned. The Earth King forced the airbender to engineer him whatever he asked for. Of course, the airbender could have just flown away, but his son couldn't, and the airbender refused to leave him behind."

Asami starts folding the sheet of blank paper into a wing. And she continues, "He asked for raw materials he didn't need, and eventually, made a set of wings from wax and steel for his son. When they left, the airbender made his son promise just to follow him, and not to fly too close to the sun."

And then she tears out a second piece and folds that into an identical wing. "But his son was so excited to be outside flying, that he did fly too close to the sun. The wax melted, and he fell and died."

Yumi, Korra, Mako and Zirah wait a beat in silence, expecting Asami to continue. But she just glances at them all bewildered.

"Is that it?" Mako is unafraid to ask. "He just... dies?"

Asami shrugs. "Yeah."

She hands the two wings to Yumi, and then closes her notebook. The side of her face presses against the cool glass window as she gazes out.

Korra thinks she understands that story. She was so excited to be with Asami, even just as friends, that she flew too close to the sun.

And then Asami nearly got killed.

"These little paper animals are really wonderful," Zirah remarks as she examines the wings Yumi is playing with. "They must have taken a lot of practice."

"Yeah. My paternal grandma really loved them. She would make them all the time and they were all over her house," Asami reminisces, tapping on her notebook rhythmically. "My dad was great at making them, actually."

Korra has the sudden urge to blurt out that she still has every single paper animal that Asami gave her. But she keeps quiet and helps Yumi put the wings onto her wrists.

She chased the girl, but she has no idea what comes next.

[X]

Prince Wu is marvelously excited about his semi-surprise visit. He dressed up for it, of course, after waffling over the proper outfit for a good deal of time. And now they all arrived at the palace, which looks quite different from their last visits.

"Mako!" he exclaims, "and _ladies_. And _this _lady, who I have never had the privilege of meeting."

Zirah does not move as Wu takes her hand and kisses it, making Asami and Korra laugh faintly. It makes them all uncomfortable for a flicker of a second, before Prince Wu stands up, straightens his back and glances between his old friends and the Fire Nation Princess.

"It's good to see you," Mako says, admittedly being honest.

"I got a call about the papers you want sent through. It's not anything I know much about, but I _did _set it into motion. It should take about two days to figure out just who adopted that baby," Wu says as he gestures for the quartet plus Yumi to tour the new renovations of the palace.

"So, you _are _friends with Prince Wu?" Zirah asks Mako softly and the police officer nods. "He seems kind of sweet."

"Yeah." Mako shrugs, admittedly being honest again.

Ahead of the two stragglers, "This place is... interesting," Asami says as Wu leads the way. It is a very dazzling new version of the palace, filled with glitter and weird memorabilia, and smooth jazz love songs on the crackly radio.

"It's wonderful," Wu replies, smiling. "And I didn't bankrupt anybody doing it. Nope, I'm great at the democracy thing. It needed some modern touches, is all I'm saying."

Asami does like the modern touches. Maybe the new and improved Sato Manor could use a few; of course without so much pizzazz. Asami likes things to look _good_, but not... blinding.

"Oh, that's Korra's favorite song," Asami remarks as the radio in the third room they brush past crackles into a new rhythm.

If Asami reveals how embarrassed she is to have blurted that out, Wu does not notice.

"Speaking of Korra," he says, not stopping the silent tour. "You are, uh, single?"

"I guess," Asami says slowly, already not liking where this is going.

"Well, I _love _the single mom thing," Wu says brightly and Asami grimaces. "It shows such determination, such strength."

"I'm really just protecting a witness," Asami insists, although she has felt a good deal like Yumi's mom. Which makes things with Korra twice as uncomfortable.

Which makes the fact that Korra is holding Yumi right now a million times as uncomfortable.

"Witness, kid, same thing." Wu grins, not deterred for a second. "Aaaaand, here are your rooms for the next two days or hopefully more."

There is a plethora of space, and nobody will have to share a bed or sleep on each other like they did on the train. That should lower some sexual tension. Yumi and Korra both go to explore the guest wing with the same wide, excited eyes.

It makes Asami's lips flicker with a trace of a smile.

She goes to find her room, and the first thing she notices is that it smells _amazing_. This would not normally be of note, but after the dreadful train, the gross city streets, and the sickly fruity scents of everything belonging to Prince Wu that they just studied, the cold, crisp and fresh room makes Asami want to cry from nasal relief.

She flops down onto the bed and closes her sore eyes. "I think I've forgotten what it's like to _not _have a headache."

"I _know_, right?" Korra asks as she steps inside, helping Yumi look out the window at the beautiful city.

Wu is babbling to Mako and half-chatting-up Zirah as the two girls and the witness they are guarding are left to their own devices.

Night has fallen by the time Wu finished the tour, and Asami stands to go look out of the window with Korra and Yumi. It looks gorgeous, Asami supposes.

"So, somewhere out there is the person we're looking for," Korra says bluntly, squinting. It is a _huge _city.

"Mhm," Asami mumbles in assent. Somewhere in here is the person she spent her life looking for, but right now, they're pretending never to have found each other. "It looks safe. The walls."

"Yeah," Korra remarks, shrugging. "I like how cramped everything is. There's so much, right? They just started building more on top of stuff that wasn't gone yet."

Asami licks her lips and nods. That is true.

"Or maybe they just recycled some of it. I saw some chunks from the wall that broke like, what, sixty years ago or longer? They were a fence for a garden," Asami remarks, thinking of the journey towards the Upper Ring. Everyone was so focused on the plan, but Asami was distracted. "There was some graffiti on them, but there were these really nice vines that grew over most of it."

"Cool?" Korra scrunches up her face, wishing she thought that was as interesting as Asami does.

"Watch," Asami says, fishing around in her bag and finding her notebook. She flips to a page of scratched out phone numbers. They all were places she had to call about Sato Manor and it being burned down.

She tears it out, pressing one hand down tightly to keep the notebook in place.

And, atop the smudged ink, scribbled out phone numbers and angry, half-finished doodles, Asami begins to fold.

Out from it comes a little turtleduck. She waves it around and offers it to Korra.

Another reminder of days gone by. Warm orange light and quietly breaking the rules of the paddleboats so that Asami could live her childhood dream of going _way too _fast.

"It's not blank, but it can still look pretty nice." Asami smiles and sits down on the windowsill.

"I wanna dragon-fly-bunny-spirit!" Yumi declares, pointing at another ink-smudged but mostly empty page.

Asami complies as Korra stares out of the window at the lights of the city, and then looks down at the turtleduck.

She doesn't think she understands, but she feels chilly despite the heat.

[X]

That night, Wu takes them out to dinner. They were all expecting a fancy restaurant or weird club, but it is actually a little dive diner.

But Wu was right. The food was _amazing_.

Now, Korra, Mako and Asami are standing in the back.

"Alright, Mako," Asami says with her arms crossed. She looks _devious_, which is a rare expression. "You got to play matchmaker to me and Korra. _I _think we are going to play matchmaker to _you _now."

"How does Prince Mako sound?" Korra asks with a grin.

"I'm not into Prince Wu," Mako hisses and Korra snickers.

"Well," she replies sarcastically, "since he's out of the running, our second choice is Zirah."

"Oh. That's what you meant." Mako glances over at Wu again. "The going to the bathroom together raised a lot of eyebrows. It's reflex by now."

"That's kind of sexist." Korra thinks about it for a moment. "Asami and I _always _go to the bathroom together, and we actually dated."

"Girls _do _always go to the bathroom together, though," Mako mutters, glancing again at Zirah, Yumi and Prince Wu, the Earth Prince doing one hundred percent of the talking. "So, Zirah? She is clearly not into me or anyone. Look at her. She's an ice princess except Fire Nation. And she always wears a blazer, even in a dive like this."

She _is _dressed in a red business suit with a pencil skirt and blazer, as she always seems to be. Korra thought it was weird, but she also did know that Zirah was a super awkward _assets manager_.

Yes. An assets manager. A _nonbending_ assets manager, despite her crown and her brother's distinguished military service.

Korra is keeping her lips sealed about both of those juicy facts. Mako needs to find out on his own, she thinks.

"I wear blazers pretty often." Asami turns up her palms and shrugs.

But Korra has a better addition. "She's aloof and cold because she's actually _super _awkward and hates being around people. I was horrified of her when I first started working the gang war case with Iroh. Then she warmed up to me and started talking and like she was even more awkward than _me_. You can't lose."

Mako frowns. He does not think his romantic history is exactly stellar, which is made obvious by the two girls standing in front of him. "I can definitely lose. Honestly, Prince Wu might be a safer bet."

"Secret date? You know, we do a group hang out thing with Wu, but it's really a date with you and Zirah," Asami suggests, and Mako quickly realizes that she is not asking, she is telling. "We have two free nights before we can get the papers. We might as well have some fun."

"We are doing police work," Mako attempts, and it sounds more pathetic than Korra's infinite Naga excuses.

"I got stabbed! You're going on the secret date." Asami crosses her arms.

And _that _is _that_, Mako supposes.

[X]

Bolin is examining the bathroom in the creepy mansion.

He is mostly trying to distract himself after Lin said that a few chunks of her family are coming to help out now that they know it is definitely a cop-cat killer. Her portfolios and mother's old notes were not quite enough, as much as she is unenthused about familial company.

Bolin is just jittery because Opal is coming, despite how in love he is with Eska.

In the bathroom, the officers have checked all of the soaps, all of the drawers, and taken anything that might be suspicious or be able to be traced back to who purchased them. But Lin gave him busywork while she had to leave and go to the morgue with Kya (a job which Bolin declined, thank you very much).

And then he finds it. Mostly by accident. He is studying an unopened liquor bottle when he drops it and yelps, certain that he is going to be in trouble for that one. But when he kneels down to pick it up, he finds that there is a bottle within the bottle.

Akai Tsuki perfume.

"I found something! I found something!" Bolin shouts and the only person to respond is Eska.

She strides into the bathroom and squints at it for a moment, her purple eye shadow crinkling.

"It's wet," Bolin states and Eska quickly bends away the moisture.

"Look at that," Eska says flatly, pointing at the way the label is peeled slightly. It would not have been noticeable without her waterbending.

Bolin peels it back carefully, trying to preserve the handwritten ingredient list. Inside, there is something extremely disconcerting. Bolin's neck muscles tense as Eska kneels beside him.

"What is it, my true love?" Eska inquires and Bolin unfolds the crumpled paper to reveal a small little book, stitched together with thread.

"Well, the first page has a poem," Bolin says and then he opens the next, "and this one has a list of names," and then the next, "and this one has a... oh, this is not good. This is not good at all."

There is a fresh, different shade of ink. The list of names is shorter, but he sees in very bright writing, _Asami Sato_ and after that, only blank pages remaining.

"She did not die, though." Eska immediately picks up on the fact that these are lists of victims. "She was only stabbed."

"I think they thought the stabbing would kill her." Bolin swallows the lump in his throat and stands up.

Bolin then picks up something sticking out of the book.

It is folded up at first, looking like a discarded love note or dog-eared book page, but when he manages to open it again, he recognizes it right away.

It's one of Asami's paper animals.


	8. No Love Lost

**Chapter Eight: **No Love Lost

* * *

Bolin paces nervously after his discovery, the paper animal cupped in his hand.

"It's not as troubling as it seems," Lin assures Bolin for the thousandth time. "They planned on killing her but failed."

But no one feels much better after hearing that clarification, even Azula or Lin herself. This entire situation still feels horrid and inescapable. There is a killer they know exactly nothing about on the loose, with clues that were so well concealed that it took _this _accident to reveal such an important one. In the _haunted house lair_, Bolin would gladly add.

And they all can agree that the list of names with _Asami _on it makes it feel... _real. _

Handwriting. Proof. This isn't just some set of coincidences that they are over-thinking.

"This list is of the new victims," Bolin says, trying to think like Mako. "Maybe we can look at it and see if there are any patterns in how the killer wrote it down instead of how we did. And I think this is a poem?"

After saying that, Eska rubs his arm in an awkward way that makes him feel warm and fuzzy. And Chief Beifong looks at him in a manner that makes him extremely worried and confused.

"That is actually a decent idea," Lin says with a shrug, and Bolin turns to Eska with his mouth wide open in excitement. His icy fiancee offers him a slight trace of a smile. "Let me see the poem."

Lin has just accepted the poem from Bolin when Kya comes up the creaky stairs. Bolin notices how her fingers are trembling, and that is for the first time in their entire adrenaline charged misadventure.

"Since I'm the only one here who knows how to use a phone," Kya begins as Lin mutters to herself, _since you're the only person willing to commit felonies on a phone_, "The phone tag game with Zaofu ended, and, actually we _don't _have to deal with your mom yet, I'll wait for the brief sigh of relief. Apparently, Opal has been convinced that this was a copycat killer since way before we figured it out. I like that kid."

"And she is not coming anywhere near this place because I do not trust journalists," Lin says and Kya cocks an eyebrow. Bolin feels his stomach lurch when he sees Eska shift her weight from foot to foot, and he hopes nothing is upset between them.

"We're not taking her onto the case. We're meeting her for dinner to talk about any of the theories she has. She's been studying it for a few weeks longer than us, and I don't know why you don't ever visit her, it's horrible of you, Lin. She's lived in this city for almost two years," Kya says and Lin sighs. "Oh, and the person in charge of the charity gala for the Amarururu Collection or whatever it was called also agreed to talk."

Lin pinches the bridge of her nose in a futile attempt to quell her headache and examines the lines of what looks like verse for a moment.

"Let me go see your notes from the calls," Lin says and Kya nods her head towards the stairs "Bolin, Eska, you two should check any of the cases or other furniture and frames that were just dusted over," Lin orders before walking down the steps to go speak to her niece and whoever ran the sale of the Amaransu Artwork.

Eska walks close to Bolin, and the two of them scour the ornaments in the haunted house as if they could be helpful. Most of the incriminating bits, or anything with personality, have already been found as evidence. Everything else just came with the house, or looks purely decorative after several examinations.

They do start opening cabinets, though.

Bolin coughs as he pries open the third glass case. It is the one with the pieces of warship in it, that Asami saw when she and Korra were exploring this hallway. He blinks the dust from his eyes, and he and Eska carefully and silently examine the pieces inside.

"This has initials engraved in it," Bolin points out and Eska nods. "Where did we see those?" He furrows his brow as Eska thinks.

"Those were on all of the items sold at the gala. They are the mark of the Amaransu Estate. She must have sold this to the owner, or maybe the owner stole it from her," Eska remarks, as if reciting from a textbook and not her mind. She rubs her chin. "This excites me, my dearest love."

"Me too," Bolin says, trying to keep his voice from shaking.

This doesn't excite him.

He can't keep the image of Asami bleeding out of his head, and he is so afraid of anybody else getting hurt.

[X]

Far off in Ba Sing Se, Korra and Asami exchange a mischievous glance as they walk into the restaurant.

Prince Mako is _so _going to happen. Or at least some fun retribution for his attempts to meddle in their love lives. Friendly and helpful retribution of course. _Of course_.

The restaurant is fairly upscale, but it had to be child friendly, since Asami and Korra absolutely cannot abandon their witness at any cost. No one complained about that, and while Yumi whines, tires easily and can be a tornado, she makes for a nice buffer between Korra and Asami.

They are escorted to the table by a man who bows very deeply at Prince Wu, and fumbles with the menus upon sight of the Avatar.

Mako stares with his eyes wide at Asami and Korra, waiting for them to strike up conversation as Yumi immediately gets to work gradually destroying the menu they were foolish enough to give her. Asami tries to pry the girl's grubby hands away, and Korra is laughing at the matter.

Wonderful, Mako is left alone to strike up conversation with ─

"... yeah, those are really nice," Zirah says quietly to Prince Wu and Mako feels his stomach lurch. No, no, it's a _group friend secret date_; this is how it is supposed to go.

Korra and Asami must have filled Wu in on this, right?

"I know. I'll show you the manicurist while you're still in town," Wu says with a confident, easy grin.

Mako fumbles around for words and says, "So, that body falling out of the closet was creepy."

Zirah looks at him, and bites her lower lip gently with her two front teeth. She looks a bit like she wants to hide. "Not as creepy as, uh, uh, these... chopsticks..."

Korra snorts loudly in laughter and then pretends to be finding Yumi's situation with Asami funny and not this impending natural disaster.

The waiter interrupts by quickly introducing himself with speech so slurred and fast that none of them catch what he is called.

"May I take your orders?"

Korra gets the first thing she saw that sounded good, with nothing extra or changed. Asami asks several questions and then decides to eat a menu option other than the one she asked about. Wu orders an elaborate set of heavily changed orders, including one not listed. Mako asks for the same type of soup and steak he _always _gets. Zirah orders a salad. They all get tea, save for Wu, who gets some weird fruity thing that Korra is fascinated by once it arrives, and Zirah, who gets plain water with no lemon.

"I'm sorry. Let me start over," Mako says and Zirah breathes a sigh of relief. "We probably shouldn't talk about work."

"No, we can talk about work. Just, how about not any corpses," Zirah says softly and Wu throws his arm around Korra, yanking her into the conversation.

"Yup, yup, no corpses," he says, grinning with his immaculately white teeth.

"So, do you know any cool fighting skills? I'm guessing you're law enforcement, since you're on the case," Mako suggests, knowing it tends to be a good icebreaker with most people he meets.

Zirah laughs her awkward, kind of really cute laugh, and Mako looks concerned. Korra watches with a sparkle in her eyes, not able to love how this date is going any more than she is right now.

Asami pokes Korra and the Avatar leans in towards her as Yumi snags the menu with a grin of victory and slides halfway under the table.

"You know something," Asami whispers and Korra's skin prickles at the warm breath on her neck.

"Maybe," Korra whispers back and Asami laughs. Oh, that breath makes Korra's shoulder shoot up, and Asami recoils with a barely suppressed gasp.

Korra thinks now _she _might want to disappear.

"So when is our food coming?" Korra asks Wu loudly, hoping the waiter hears.

"No. I don't run into too many fights in my day job. I mean, I know self defense in case of assassins, but I haven't been in a fight since I was thirteen or something." Zirah shrugs and sips her plain water with no lemon again.

Asami and Korra exchange a glance that says, _yes she is perfect for Mako_.

"So, what's your day job? Not law enforcement?" Mako is sweating from more than just the unnecessary amount of smoke and lights.

"I'm the assets manager of an energy company. Boring compared to my brother, I know," Zirah says and Mako forgets to breathe for a moment. Zirah looks just as uncomfortable, and Asami and Korra now both feel pretty terrible for this arrangement.

"I don't know what that is but if you do it, I'm sure it's marvelous," Wu says dramatically and Asami is in disbelief.

It is possibly the most boring job she can think of, but also a very important one in a company. She doesn't understand a word of the woman who works for Future Industries, but it's going well, supposedly. In the end, it does explain the fact that Zirah exclusively dresses business casual.

"That's nice. So, why did you wind up in that mess with Korra?" Mako furrows his brow, genuinely unsure what an assets manager is.

"Well, said energy company was facing some embezzling and back alley trades with the White Glove Society. I had some decent information. Honestly, Iroh would probably be a better choice for this job, but I don't mind. It's been fun. Kind of." She looks very uneasy now. "I mean, fun, other than the dead bodies and stuff. And murders. And Asami getting stabbed, I'm so sorry, that wasn't fun at all..."

Mako looks at Asami and Korra like a drowning person gazing up, waiting for a lifeline.

"I do police stuff, you probably know." Mako has realized how right Korra was about Zirah being awkward too. "Uh, wanna hear a joke?"

Korra looks much too excited, and Asami gently kicks her ankle under the table.

"Sure," Zirah says, looking even more desperate than Mako.

"Well, maybe the gangs should have _triad _harder." Silence.

Prince Wu gets it, or at least pretends to get it, and is the only one laughing.

"Korra," Yumi whines as Mako and Zirah continue grasping at conversation, "I wanna go back to the hotel."

"Yeah, she is sleepy, huh?" Asami remarks, uneasily glancing at Prince Wu. Perhaps Asami Sato has just become a single mom.

Or, more terrifying yet, Asami realizes as Korra picks up Yumi, a mom with Korra. Asami says her goodbyes at Mako looks at she and Korra as if they have just horribly betrayed him.

At last, the make-shift family of three escapes the restaurant and the horrible heat and loud radio. Korra breathes in the cold night air, letting it fill her lungs and cool her skin. Asami's sweat dries onto her arms and neck, but she does not care as she and Korra head towards the hotel.

"I feel bad for Mako," Asami remarks, her heels clicking against the stone roads. They brush past a variety of pedestrians, most dressed up to the nines on this street of the Upper Ring. Many of them holding hands or kissing, which makes the walk back much more uncomfortable.

"Yeah, I think they were talking for about five minutes and it already was going worse than... well, I think I've been on, huh, one first date. Huh," Korra says, rubbing her neck. "Weird."

She and Asami didn't start out very usually. They absconded to the Spirit World, for Tui's sake. Mako was okay, but Korra does not have the best grasp of normal relationships after being raised in a secret compound.

Yumi scratches at her neck. "I don't feel good. Stop. Stop."

Her tone does not sound like when she is just being whiny or demanding; both Korra and Asami freeze in place. The simultaneous motion makes them share a sensation of being united, and that is both enticing and horrifying. But Asami's eyes fixated on how Korra is absentmindedly licking her lower lip stops when they see their little girl sitting down on her knees with an abrupt shriek of pain.

"What's wrong?" Korra jumps down and Asami quickly goes to get water from any of the quiet vendors on the streets.

The live jazz music playing feels so _wrong _when she can hear the crying, and when she can remember how she used to dance to it with Korra, suspended between reality and fantasy. Romance, family, the friends they left behind and probably should go check on at some point. Asami buys water somehow, even though her brain is going in a million directions.

She supposes it works like that most of the time, but right now, those directions are very entangled with her heart, and that scares Asami. While she has feeling, and while she _loves _those feelings, she also likes to be able to quantify and predict and outline.

You can't quantify and predict and outline suddenly being a mom. You can't quantify and predict and outline suddenly being in this weird, inexplicable situation with your ex-girlfriend. You can't quantify and predict and outline love.

She brings the water and Korra takes it.

"What's up?" Asami asks, kneeling by Yumi, who is now crying and clutching her knees to her chest.

"Her tummy hurts," Korra whispers, and Asami purses her lips, trying to hide how worried she is. Korra is doing the same as she carefully tries to ease whatever pain that Yumi can identify.

It seems to help, because Yumi is falling asleep in Korra's arms when they continue walking back towards the Earth Kingdom palace.

[X]

Yumi is still complaining about her tummy when Korra and Asami get her back to Prince Wu's Guest House. Korra has her in her strong arms, and she carries her to the sofa as Asami goes to find a blanket and switches on the radio to try to console Yumi, or maybe drown out her own nervous thoughts.

Korra sits up as soon as Yumi is snuggled on the sofa, and Asami drapes the blanket over their ward. Yumi looks up at them with her thumb stubbornly inserted in her mouth, and blinks out the last of her tears.

"Do you think she needs some medicine?" Korra offers, her chest feeling constricted. She stares at Asami for a little while too long, thinking of their conversation on that window seat, about what it would be like to be parents of Yumi together.

"Probably," Asami says with a quick nod.

And so Korra walks back towards the door, Asami uneasily following her. They stop, halting awkwardly near the door. The scent of the restaurant is still linger in their nostrils, the secondhand embarrassment for Mako not leaving them.

Korra rubs her forehead, displacing her hair. "We really should focus on our work, and Yumi."

Asami nods and stares at Korra again. More staring. And a little more.

They lean forward, and their lips touch. Then they press against each other, and it is a little more than a good luck kiss, until Korra's hand moves and touches the bandages on Asami's ribs. That makes her gut twist.

Asami breaks away first, even though Korra was the first to remember their situation.

"Right, right. No distractions. Yumi, serial killer," Korra stammers out and Asami smiles at her faintly. "I'll see you."

Korra bolts out of the door, immediately feeling guilty.

Asami watches her, sighing. It is true that rekindling their romance is the opposite of wise right now. The killer, Yumi, everything happening to them needs enough of their focus, but the fact that there are constant reminders of why they broke up does not help how strong their feelings are.

Mako comes in as Asami is at last getting Yumi to fall asleep.

He looks fairly dejected, and the CEO purses her lips.

But her friend doesn't say anything, so she makes the first move. "Please tell me it went well with her."

"Uhh," Mako begins, rubbing his neck. "So, the conversation went okay. And then it got a little weird, and Wu asked me to go to the bathroom. Girls do that to talk about boys, right?" he asks and Asami doesn't tell him how wrong that is. "And so I thought he was going to help me with Zirah. Well, he actually just asked if he could ask her out."

"You didn't..." Asami grimaces with bared teeth.

"I panicked. It isn't like she's actually my girlfriend. He and Zirah are at his manicurist right now," Mako explains before groaning and slumping in the nearest antique chair. "It went better than I expected, though."

Asami frowns. "Do you ever think that maybe the person we're supposed to be with isn't the person we _can _be with?"

Mako shrugs. "I don't think too much about that kind of thing. _But_, there is a reason I tried to get you and Korra talking before we got into this mess. You two deserve a second chance. I got at least twenty with you guys. I mean, right now, yeah, okay, maybe it's not the best idea to be focused on that. But you have to remember why you loved her."

"I do," Asami says warmly, all of the memories washing over her in brief flickers. They bring a smile to her lips. Korra walks in, one hand with medicine, the other with a bag of takeout. And then Asami remembers why they broke up too.

She averts her eyes.

It feels a lot like she dropped the thing most important to her into her fireplace, and she _wants _to reach in, but she _knows _that she will burn her hand if she does.

The situation isn't pretty, or as simple as everyone other than Korra and Asami seems to think it is.

[X]

Many miles away, Lin and Kya have a late dinner with Opal in Republic City. She left Zaofu, and while she still does some of her work airbending, or this or that, she decided to dedicate herself to a variety of hobbies, and now is a journalist.

A _journalist_.

But Lin does want to see her, and Kya tags along to make sure that this does not go awry. They meet at a cute noodle place and Opal is already waiting for them. She grins with that trademark sparkle in her light green eyes, and waves at them. A huge bag takes up the seat next to her, but Kya and Lin take those across.

"It's nice to see you," Lin forces out and Opal laughs.

"Aunt Kya made you say that, huh?" She smiles again.

"I totally did not." Kya winks obviously.

"You are a good kid, and it is good that you are good," Lin voices and Kya sure didn't tell her to say that. "So, what is it you want? I can't give you details on the case, okay?"

"I want to give _you _details on the case," Opal says fiercely, and Lin can't deny that she has some moxie. "I've been studying it, really closely. And I want to join you on the case, because not a _single _one of the papers will let me keep going, and I'm _on to _something, I swear."

"I don't think you should join the case, because..." Lin has no problem with blunt honesty, but it is a bit difficult to look a young, ambitious woman in the eyes and tell her she thinks that just because of her career choice, she is a thief.

"Listen, let me give you some evidence," Opal says with a warm smile but a rock hard tone. "There _is _something in common between all of the murders."

"No, no..." Lin cuts herself off, not wanting to fall into that trap, but feeling herself doing it anyway.

"I also have this hunch that I keep getting yelled at about since I have no evidence, but in 115 AG, there was a string of murders that was similar."

"There are a lot of murders in Republic City. And there were even more back then."

"I know. I know. Anyway, the murders of 118 AG began with a scientist, right?"

"A researcher, technically," Lin grumbles.

"I've been _trying _to get my hands on what was taken from his lab for _forever _but keep getting stonewalled. Anyway, I figured it was covered up because he might have had something in common with the killer. But none of the murders were between people who knew each other, none of them were from the same element, the same age, or gender, or race, or social class. They were all just killed in the same way." Opal clasps her hands and rests her elbows on the table.

"Yes, that much is obvious. That's how we know it was a serial killer. That and the newspaper notes." Lin leans back in her chair, confident in her work.

"I have those." Opal rummages around for them before stopping and sitting up straight again. "Wait, wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. I couldn't even look at the crime photos."

Kya can understand why. Lin honestly does too. The mutilation was awful.

Opal continues, "I think that the mutilation wasn't sadism. I think it was to cover up what was in common with the people killed."

Lin rubs her face and looks up. "I'm listening." She means it. Opal is smart, even if Lin doesn't know her half as well as she should.

"Their blood," Opal says, as if she has just _solved _it.

Lin shakes her head. "It wasn't a bloodbending case. That would've..."

"No, no, I mean, I mean the chi imprints. Not many people study chi flow or its methods that intensely outside of the Water Tribes or modern research in Republic City, but chi imprints in blood..." Opal's eyes glow, waiting for Lin and Kya to catch on.

Chi imprints are a form of categorization so old that nobody bothered thinking about them anymore. But records are available. Records that only important people, or very clever thieves, or people who _knew _important people can get.

"You think the killer was hunting them by their chi imprint stereotype? It's far-fetched. No one thinks much of that outside of records and passports," Lin says but Kya, blanched, is shaking her head.

"Blood transfusions, Lin," Kya says quietly and the Chief of Police has that sudden realization.

Opal interrupts, "I mean, this is way too circumstantial and that's why I can't work on this story. I looked at the papers and records of all of the new victims, and they all had the same chi imprint. I couldn't get all of them on the first spree, but the ones I did, also lined up."

Kya rubs her eyes. She is not tired or bored or annoyed; she is biting back tears and Lin thinks she knows why. But the Chief of Police keeps herself professional, and turns back to Opal.

"I should go," Kya says in a rather serious tone and Lin stares at her, silently befuddled.

"If you want to," Lin replies and Kya doesn't protest, she just flees as quickly as she can.

Opal begins to go into further detail about how she found the chi imprints, and refuses to let Lin even take a sip of the tea she ordered until she is certain she is being listened to. Opal is an airbender, and she seems so... _flowery_, to Lin, so _gentle_, most of the time. But she is proving anyone who ever thought that wrong right now.

Lin waits as soon as Opal is finished discussing how she thinks the crimes were related to how blood transfusions just started being used in healing around that time; four years earlier, to be exact. They were experimental, but had great success in seven cases.

A lot of people were denied the benefits of those cases. That's a lot of people with motive.

That is, however, a lot of people who have been dead as doornails for decades.

Lin, once she hears it all, says slowly, "Opal, this is... you should join the police force. I mean it. I'm, don't tell anyone this, but after this case I am retiring, and I could use somebody like you."

Opal glows, despite how businesslike and cold Lin attempted to be. Opal saw her aunt smile a little bit; there was no hiding that.

"Thank you." Opal bows her head briefly in respect and drinks her cold tea in one gulp to ease her dry mouth from talking so long and fast.

Lin says, then, "The only problem is that, let's say Kun Song, and I'm not promising Kun Song. Let's say he had a sick kid. Or he was sick. Or he or somebody was denied those healing trials. It makes no sense to kill that many people. There are more effective ways of going about it and it's showy. One of our main reasons for struggling to convict him because out of all of the crazies in the Agni Kai Triad, he had the least flair."

"Twenty-Five murders? That's what you said. Well, that's symbolic. Maybe he or she blames somebody. Sometimes people blame others, or spirits, or those denying healing for illness instead of accepting it just happens sometimes. I'm not a detective, but I do want to help you."

Lin sighs. "Well, our case is basically a circus. You seem to have more to bring to it than anybody else yet."

She extends a hand, and Opal shakes it.

Yes. _That _is what Lin calls a firm handshake.

This might not be as bad of an idea as Lin thought.


	9. No Love Found

**Chapter Nine: **No Love Found

* * *

Korra takes the medicine in the baggie she bought and sits down on the gaudy coffee table to face Yumi.

She glances up at Mako and Asami as she begins to unwrap the bottle of herbs and keep the little girl from becoming restless.

"You guys look like you're doing depressing statue impressions," Korra comments with a smug smile. But it disappears as soon as she remembers the fact that she is in the middle of a dangerous mission. "Did something happen?"

"Mako's love life sucks," Asami says and he halfheartedly jabs her shoulder.

Korra wiggles her eyebrows and says, "I bet Zirah and Prince Wu are getting all up in each other like ─"

"Like there's a little kid in the room," Asami interrupts and Korra quickly averts her gaze.

Mako's laugh is a bit hollow, but at least he is laughing.

Asami rubs her face, sighs and takes one look at the fire that is Korra, the fire that she has dropped so much of herself into but she is afraid to pick up again. This fear can't be right. It just can't. But their relationship would be worse; interrupting something this important because of unresolved feelings would be unprofessional.

"I'm off to bed," Asami says with a pointed nod and Korra begins the Avatar-Caliber task of getting Yumi to swallow the medicine.

_"You said it tasted good!" _is the shrieking Asami hears as she walks away and collapses onto her bed.

But Asami is woken with a start, seizing the sheets on her bed as if they would offer some form of protection. Protection from the angry crack of thunder that Asami thinks is a bender, until she realizes the crumbling ceiling, and then sees Yumi frozen in place.

Asami acts with that... _wildebeest _gut feeling and grabs the witness before rolling out of the way of the columns that are crumbling around them. _It seems too quiet_, Asami thinks before realizing that her ears are ringing and the only muffled sound she can hear is Yumi's whimpers and the crash of destruction.

Quickly, Asami pulls Yumi up into her arms and runs as fast as she can through the blaze. _Explosion_. Bomb. _Bomb_. That is incredibly bad, but she tries to keep a calm face on for Yumi's sake. Another chunk of wall nearly comes down on Asami before Korra punches it back with air and earth.

"Korra," Asami shouts, even though she cannot hear her own voice, "where is Mako?"

The Avatar tries to shout back, but Asami cannot hear her over the chaos. Asami just runs to her when she sees the panic in Korra's cobalt eyes, and they run down the hall as Asami's hearing comes back to hear _screaming _of _humans_.

"What's happening?" Asami whispers before sharp breaths. She jumps over a death trap of toppled, burning furniture.

Korra watches with the helpless sensation she felt when Asami got stabbed. The helplessness when she and Asami were captured in the desert. A helplessness that only Asami gives Korra, and the Avatar hates the twisting feeling it gives her.

They reach the outer courtyard and run away from the crumbling wing of the palace.

"This place was _stone_!" Asami screams as she and Korra vault over the wall, juggling a speechless Yumi between them. "How did someone bomb stone?"

"I bet you could invent it!" Korra exclaims as they run towards the battalion of emergency patrol as far away from the explosion as they could reach.

"Don't implicate me!" Asami shouts, but her sore throat and lack of breath makes it impossible for her to laugh at her own joke.

They keep running, and keep running until Asami hands Yumi to a healer and turns to Korra.

"We have to save the people. We _have to_," Asami pants and Korra agrees.

"You stay here, and I'll put out the fire."

"What do you mean? I've saved your butt way more than you've saved mine!" Asami yowls and Korra has had this argument with her way too many times before. "I'm going in there! And you better come so I don't burn to a crisp!"

Korra grabs the water around her with a force that tingles with the near Avatar State.

Mako, Zirah and Prince Wu run and duck inside of a room that Mako doubts they can survive in for very long.

"Zirah, help me put out the fires," Mako says sharply and Zirah makes an uncomfortable face. The fire rages and Mako suppresses it. He is a prodigious bender, but he can't fix _this_.

"I can't," Zirah replies as she tries to come up with a way for the three of them to not die of smoke inhalation. Prince Wu looks too stunned to fight back, but Mako doesn't need him right now.

"Why?" Mako blocks another huge whirlwind of fire. "This was the _worst _hiding spot!" he snaps at Prince Wu.

"I'm not a firebender," Zirah replies and Mako stares at her. "You seem pretty shocked every time you learn anything about me."

"I just don't... know you that well," Mako replies as he pushes back the fire.

"Uh-huh, yeah," Zirah says before turning to Prince Wu. "You've got to have secret passages, right? I had tons of them in the palace at home."

Prince Wu nods, and looks to Mako. "I can get you guys there, but I kind of need you to keep us from burning to death, Mako."

"I'll do it. It'll be hard to see through the smoke, but I promise you'll be okay," Mako says before counting to three and then bolting out of the door with Prince Wu and Princess Zirah hopefully behind him.

Korra and Asami run towards the palace, and Korra feels the tugging at her navel and the searing in her veins that triggers the Avatar State. Her eyes glow and she moves forward. She crushes stone so it doesn't fall worse, and abets the fire, and at last begins to put it out with her waterbending.

Asami trips, but despite catching herself, suddenly, all ten thousand Avatars have come to her rescue. A rescue that did not work out perfectly, because it just knocked her down onto the ground as Korra's last push of her arms quenches the effects of the bomb.

With a slow breath in and out, Korra gazes down at Asami and the glimmering in their dry eyes is inexplicable in origin. But they are lying there as the wing of the palace continues to crumble and sink, Korra kind of straddling Asami without meaning to be.

But Asami does not want to let Korra go right now, her hands very slowly moving up to the Avatar's hips. Korra sighs, and it is not from anger or frustration; it's a relief. Asami's hands are trailing up Korra's soot-stained arms and the Avatar slowly moves down, the glacial pace eerie in the volcanic panic.

Korra kisses Asami again and she does not regret it because she is not thinking about it.

Mako can barely see through the smoke when the fire begins to go out.

"Korra," he mutters to himself as he tries to find that passage Wu was talking about. Of course Korra managed to put out the fire, but Mako and his royals are definitely trapped somewhere and need to get out before they suffocate on smoke.

Mako did not predict tumbling down the stairs, and he catches the light body closest to him before throwing the last of his energy into bursting out of the palace.

"Are you okay, Zirah?" Mako breathes before seeing that the person he thought was poor, assets manager, blazer-clad, nonbending Zirah was actually Prince Wu.

"Mako, you're my hero," Wu warbles as he lets Mako drag him towards the commotion of firefighters, police and paramedics.

"Don't mention it," Mako says as he pries Wu from his arm.

Zirah is looking at the burning palace.

A flushed Korra and Asami walk lethargically towards them.

Asami is looking at the burning palace.

Sato Manor. It feels like Sato Manor.

[X]

Meanwhile in Republic City, Lin looks at her new excited addition to the case and thinks perhaps this new hanger-on is going to be helpful. They are on the way to the Police Station, a privilege Lin has given very few journalists before. First an _airbender_, then a _journalist_...

"So, why did you even pick up that career?" Lin asks as she shoves the door the station open and welcomes the cool air against her skin.

The entire city has hit the apex of the summer swelter, and her own stress is not making her sweat any less. Opal follows her too closely, not bothering to hide how eager she is to get started.

"Well," Opal says as she looks around at the half-busy home of justice in Republic City, "I've had a lot of jobs until that one stuck for a while. Like most things in my life, it just kind of happened."

Lin finds that answer to be needlessly cryptic, but she does not care, and so she shrugs her shoulders and glances around for anyone else. Thankfully not Bolin and Eska, who have begun taking Naga everywhere with them. Not Kya, though, despite her walking out of the cafe.

She probably is on Air Temple Island, or back at the house with the rest of the task force. Lin tries to remind herself that it is a _good thing_; Kya is not vital to the case.

"Chief Beifong," pipes up her young secretary, "the Manager of the Amaransu Estate is here to see you."

Lin nods once, and walks inside.

And inside, Varrick has made himself quite comfortable in Lin's chair. She clasps her hands behind her back and tries not to be perturbed by this as Opal fidgets beside her and scrapes her feet on the stone floor.

"Varrick, you've invited yourself in," Lin says stoically and, if there is displeasure, he does not notice it.

Opal smiles awkwardly before saying, "It's really good to see you."

"Ah, you were the one who was the curator of that _airbender _exhibit," he says proudly, and Opal nods once with the same forced grin. "It was interesting. Could have been snazzier but it was very classy. Very classy. Much like the estate you're so interested in."

Varrick leans forward with his hands upturned and elbows on the table. Opal cocks an eyebrow and glances at her Aunt Lin.

"I have no desire to purchase art pieces from the Gao Family," Lin states and Varrick recoils slightly. Opal genuinely grins now at the display of power from Aunt Lin; it is hilariously weird. "I have a desire to be given any evidence connected to her that could lead back to any and all objects related to the _serial killer_."

"Serial killers," Varrick remarks, shrugging and placing the tips of his fingers together. "They're horrible people."

"Yes. Very astute," Lin says, suppressing a sigh. "Tell me about the art that wasn't displayed. You said Mrs. Gao was reluctant to show several more high priced and valuable pieces?"

Varrick thinks for a moment before holding up one finger and rummaging around in his satchel for the papers he collected in his conversation with Mrs. Gao. He pushes the list across the table and Lin looks it over before waiting for him to speak.

"She was an eccentric collector of art. And a lot of it was on the morbid side." He shrugs yet again. "Other than just Mrs. Gao's belongings, there's still half a warehouse left of this stuff that I _didn't _sell, and more of it that she or her daughter sold before they handed it over to me to manage."

"Wait, wait, no one told us about a warehouse," Lin interrupts, her eyes flashing.

"Yes, of course there is. I invested a lot of my business ventures into making sure all belongings are kept safely and securely. And they are never unlocked," Varrick says confidently. "Nobody asked about a warehouses."

"Well, this conversation _clearly _changed when we found out about the obsession Madame Amaransu Gao had with the murders. She didn't just buy it because it was interesting; she bought it because it was one of her interests," Lin says slowly, skirting around any vital information.

"Well, I can take you to the warehouse, of course. Most of it is damaged or junk, despite what I scrounged up to sell. It did very well, in fact, bought me a new yacht. But, her kids didn't take as good of care of it as she did. It's impressive how much she bought in one lifetime, and how much she must have _sold_... A businesswoman ahead of her times," Varrick rambles as Lin is lost in her thoughts and Opal is nodding sweetly.

Lin at last removes herself from her own head. "Must have sold? Opal, if you were an art collector who had connections to a serial killer, what would be the most discreet way to get rid of the evidence, assuming you didn't want to destroy it?"

She looks at her niece, waiting for the answer and proof she can include her on the case.

"Sell it," Opal says instantly and her mint green eyes light up. "Aunt Lin, that's genius!"

Lin is less enthused. "No. It's probably a false lead."

"But it's a lead," Opal insists. "I mean, if we get a painting title, right? Varrick, there are ledgers somewhere, right? I don't think she'd want to part with anything without keeping track of it."

"I'll round 'em up."

"Bolin and Eska will accompany you," Lin says, relieved to have more busy work for those mostly useless accomplices. She does hear a small sound in the back of Opal's throat and is not sure what to make of it.

"Gladly," Varrick agrees without hesitation.

[X]

Korra sits with Asami, Yumi, Zirah, Mako and Prince Wu in a teashop, slumped with exhaustion. They all managed to get cleaned up and examined, but they are still wearing charred pajamas and gazing at each other wordlessly.

But the silence is broken when Prince Wu says, "Who do you think they were after? I mean, I see assassination attempts, but that bomb wanted to get the job done before anybody could stop 'em."

"Korra, then," Mako throws out listlessly. "But it takes more than a bomb to blow her up. Like her uncontrollable rage when she loses at _casual probending _matches."

"Everybody never stops cheating," Korra says, laughing.

"So much for a nice date," Zirah says to Wu and Mako weakens even more.

Asami frowns at him as she sees how Korra's hand keeps moving tentatively towards her knee, but stopping at the last second.

"Korra," Asami says softly as they are left alone with Yumi. "I like you so much. I remember how many times I knew I liked you, and one time I tried to writing it down for an anniversary present but that's not really the kind of thing you like."

Asami stares at Korra's lips, but she turns away just as Korra moves. But Korra was pulling back for the imminent collision of passion.

"You two should get married! Like Eska and Bolin!" Yumi exclaims as she looks at the puzzle game she is quickly becoming bored of. "It would be so fun!"

"We're not..." Asami does not know what Korra is with her, to be honest.

It should be simpler than this.

"You so are! _Kiss_! Now! _Kiss_!" Yumi shrieks, attracting the attention of everyone in the Upper Ring. "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"

"If it makes life more comfortable for our witness, then, yeah," Asami says, smiling at the same time as Korra. Their kiss is tiny and brief, but more electrically charged than most they have felt before.

Yumi claps before returning to her puzzle.

Korra stares at Asami. Asami stares at Korra. Korra looks away. Asami looks away.

That happens a lot.

[X]

Lin, after a few minutes of indecisiveness, decides to allow Opal back to the house.

The airbender is uncomfortable about how _haunted _it seems, but she keeps her composure. She does not want to be thrown off of this case, when it is the best thing that ever happened to her. Opal's footsteps are light compared to the strong ones of her aunt as they walk up the stairs and find even more police officers and what seems to be a make-shift office.

"Go sit down and look at these files," Lin orders brusquely and Opal eagerly agrees.

She walks over to the table and Lin sighs before striding over to sit in front of her. Opal glances them over, nervously sweating under Lin's scrutinizing gaze.

"I don't want to just start guessing," Opal says at last as she looks at the fragments of files which are _very _abridged. "What if Amaransu did it? What if it's that simple? If she had enough money to buy all that stuff, she could probably get a guy to turn himself in for her."

Lin frowns. "Yes, one motive for buying everything related to the case could be a good way to get rid of the evidence. If she _has _all of it, no one can examine it. But then you have to look at all of the other collections of old people with uncanny obsessions. People collect 100 Year War weapons, or old propaganda, or Pai Sho pieces that they found in gutters. She has no other connection than becoming obsessed with an unsolved crime, which, as you might know, Opal, you are too."

Opal scratches the bridge of her nose. That accusation is _true_, and so she quickly covers by inquiring, "Did anyone ever ask her about the evidence before she died?"

"Probably. She was interviewed six or seven times; I have to look up the number and transcripts. I do know that she had airtight alibis, and when I looked them over I didn't find anything worth pursuing. For the entirety of 118 AG, she was on a vacation across the world, with a lot of indisputable evidence." Lin is confident in that, although she knows police work can have its flaws.

"So, you interviewed her that many times? Kun Song only was once." Opal is disturbed by that, that he could be so quickly arrested and accused.

Lin sees it in her eyes and explains, "They would have done more interrogations if he didn't kill himself after making a partial confession. There are lists and I think some drawings of things they found in his home, which all added up. And after he died, the murders stopped."

"Amaransu has a grandkid, and Varrick mentioned her daughter. Is Mrs. Gao still alive?" Opal nods.

"Yes." Lin drums her fingers on the table.

"I'll stop accusing Amaransu, of course, but if we're trying to figure out who she sold to, her daughter might be helpful. More helpful than Varrick."

Lin shrugs.

"So, how'd you catch Kun Song? Nobody could tell me," Opal asks, leaning forward with such innocent excitement about a grotesque case.

But Lin supposes that Opal has no memory of it. Spirits, Lin wasn't even born at the time, but it feels much more real to her, somehow. Time passes and children forget so easily.

"Through an informant who remained anonymous. I've already looked for any records of a name, but they were thorough. My mother and maybe Katara have a memory of who, but they haven't said anything about it. Likely dead. That's likely a distraction."

"Did they suspect him?" Opal looks about to fall over from how far forward she is leaning.

"Yes. The first victim had a relation to him, which was a better lead than any other. None of the other murders seem related to him, except for your theory that I think we should apply to each killing. But it was the first one killed, related directly to him."

"Then why is it still so questionable?"

"People like conspiracy theories and the public didn't want the case to be so anticlimactic. It didn't sell papers well enough. Nothing more. Kid, you're smart and have a decent work ethic, but you need to take all of this with a grain of salt," Lin says with a patronizing expression.

Opal does not have much to say when the door opens and she looks up to see the... princess. Right.

"I heard about the Amaransu deal," the princess says without acknowledging Opal's existence. She strides to Lin with the eerie clicking of stilettos that Opal does not understand how an old person can wear and not die. "You friend Asami found this while we were in her apartment."

Azula sets it on the table and Lin cocks an eyebrow.

Opal and Lin squint at it to see a very loose, useless drawing. It seems to be a hasty replication of a much larger and more detailed painting. Because it is.

"It's a drawing?" Lin asks.

And Azula replies, "It's an outline of a painting. Have you ever seen those people replicating paintings in museums or galleries?"

"No. I have never been to one of those," Lin says honestly as Opal nods.

"Right. It's not the real painting," Azula explains, looking down her nose at Lin.

Opal tries to get in her line of sight and fails.

"It's not painted," Lin says in response to the _real painting _statement and Azula rolls her eyes.

"I _know that_. But I find it interesting, because I didn't think there would be anything related to that painting in the gallery. Or, don't you think a woman with a collection like that would prefer a imitation print in color by some moderately talented artist and not something that looks like it was sketched out in five minutes?"

Lin pauses. "So, it has sentimental value. I have no idea what this landscape would have to do with a serial killer."

"It's the Sacking of Ba Sing Se." Silence. "Did you even go to school?_ I_ learned this in school."

"I did too," Opal pipes up honestly.

"Air Girl," Azula says and Opal snaps to attention, "you said that there was a connection in the death by blood loss and the mutilation of the victims. And your assumption is that the mutilation was meant to cover true motives up. But why is it that this case was so troubling?"

"Because the serial killer didn't leave any tokens or hunt a particular type of person. The incisions also weren't in a particular order and just seemed to be slashed," Opal recites dryly.

"So, you're after Amaransu's Estate because you think she was just an eccentric collector who bought up any memorabilia she could from the murders. Which is reasonable, save for the fact that I knew her and she was... obsessed with one painting in particular," Azula says in a manner that makes Lin want to smash her own face into the table. Everything is so _mystically cryptic _with her, as if it is a game. She would prefer her mother's bluntness to _this_.

"Let me guess: the Ransacking of Ba Sing Se," Opal responds.

Azula touches where her heart would be if she had one, and turns to Lin.

"Obviously," the princess says with double the melodrama as usual. "While the painting is obviously focused on burning libraries and the crashing fourth wall and other pillaging in vivid detail, it also depicts the murder of the dictator and his wife. Your _dear _mother and I discussed the form of murder and a few notes, on the possible connection to that particular form of execution are still in the files but it led to a dead end. The painting and story were mentioned but there wasn't much motive and it was brushed aside for a little while that turned into a long while."

"But now there's a definite connection. Amaransu was obsessed with the killer and obsessed with a painting that's the original depiction of the form of murder." Opal kicks her feet beneath the table eagerly and accidentally kicks up a small tornado.

"Yes, we shouldn't be following every single painting she sold or we'll go down the route of the total fuckup that was the original case. This one is where we start," Azula says as she pins the drawing to the table with her talon.

"That's a great idea!" Opal says brightly.

Azula smiles faintly at her before taking a stack of books from the table next to Opal and Lin and setting it down in front of the airbender with a thud. "Good. You can study all of these ledgers. I will study this paper thing with Lin."

Lin walks silently to sit down with the princess as Opal opens the ledgers without voicing all of the complaints in her head. Impressive, Lin has to admit; the kid has a lot more drive than Su, or any airbender, or anyone, for that matter.

"I think the drawing might be overreaching. If it meant something she would've gotten rid of it," Lin says, her eyes steely and lips immovable.

"That's what I thought, but it's worth looking at now that there's such an obvious connection to her," Azula replies as she seems to examine the drawing too closely.

Kya would make some kind of blind as a viper-bat and twice as venomous joke, but Lin does not have the energy for that.

"You knew her." Lin cocks an eyebrow and awaits her reply.

"Not that well. I did business with her for a few paintings and family heirlooms, and she was quite generous to the Agni Kai Triad." Azula toys with the ring on her left hand absentmindedly.

Lin would call it a tell if she cared. "Also an important fact. You really need to stop leaving those out."

"You all should be asking."

Lin grunts. "Okay, so there are only three copies of this painting?"

"Yes. And they are all slightly different, which I'm sure drove her insane. She never stopped trying to buy one from my family, starting with my grandfather."

"Does Izumi have it?" Lin's heart skips a beat when she realizes they might have their first _genuine _lead on this sicko.

"Probably. I haven't exactly deeply studied the art of the Royal Palace. But I assume we kept it. The other is in Ba Sing Se. It used to be in the palace, but it was moved through a few museums there after the war and the _rebuilding _of culture. I think they might have taken it as inspirational." Azula laughs and Lin wonders what exactly is so funny.

"Yes, after their city being horribly pillaged, I can imagine." Lin wishes she had made the viper-bat joke, because that scathing sarcasm was not even enough to make the princess blink.

"The other passed hands a lot, but last I heard it was in the possession of Yasuko... somebody. Ugh. M, M, her name started with an M but if she married it would be different. She lived in Republic City," and Azula raises her voice at Opal, "so I would suggest starting there in the ledgers instead of the _Northern Water Tribe_!"

Opal flinches, inhales sharply and begrudgingly finds another ledger.

"We should tell Mako about one being in Ba Sing Se. He can check it out for us," Lin suggests as she brushes dust out of her eyes.

"Or steal it," Opal adds.

"No. No one is stealing anything else for this case. Do you understand me?" Lin orders.

"So, no museum robbery. Fine. I have no idea what to tell them to look for. Oddities? Treasure maps hidden on it?" Azula continues squinting at the paper.

"Let me see that," Lin says and Azula withholds it for a second before passing it over. "How about we send this in our letter to Mako and have him compare it to the painting in Ba Sing Se?"

"Not a terrible idea. And someone will ask Izumi to look over hers... Where is Kya? This is her job, isn't it? She's the secretary." Azula glances around and, lo and behold, no Kya.

"I'll be the secretary!" Opal's hand shoots up and Lin and Azula won't deny her.

[X]

They get the letter by that afternoon, before the news, which travels _pretty fast, _could reach Republic City. It has a drawing and some instructions about a painting that Korra has never heard of before, nor has Mako or Asami.

But Zirah and Prince Wu both have vague memories of it.

Wu says, snapping his fingers together, "I remember learning about that. Avatar Kyoshi calmed down the huge rebellion against the Earth... before Earth Kings."

Asami nods. "Avatar Kyoshi?"

Korra's eyes light up with passion and hope for the first time in a while. This might be a good lead; Korra might be able to solve this with her Avatar powers, which would be a huge relief.

"The big deal about the Sacking was that they brought down the fourth wall of Ba Sing Se," Prince Wu says as he examines the drawing.

Asami rubs her lips together in thought before declaring, "Korra and I should go to wherever it used to be. That makes sense, right?"

"And I'll take Zirah and Wu to whatever museum the painting is to check it out," Mako orders briskly and no one questions either he or Asami.

The gang splits up as soon as they wrangle new clothes and a fresh lunch.

[X]

It does not take long for Prince Wu to find the museum the painting is held at. The rarity and importance of the painting made the place that had it flaunt it at all costs.

"I still don't get what this has to do with the killer," Zirah remarks as they skip the line and walk directly inside to locate the painting.

"I don't either. But it's better than nothing," Mako says and Zirah squints at him for a second before they continue their beeline to the room in which the painting is housed.

"So you remember this painting?" Mako asks and Zirah nods.

"Well, I remember that name. I don't remember what was on it," Zirah says before they reach the canvas stretched out on the wall.

Their mouths all open for a brief moment, making them look ridiculous in front of the museum patrons. But it is a purely beautiful painting, beautiful in such a dark, morbid way. It is almost impossible to count all of the little scenes, but Mako does not think that anybody would want to look at them for too long.

The only thing that is easy to see is the broken wall, and Kyoshi standing, her eyes a bright blue that looks odd contrasted against the dull backdrop. In front of Kyoshi is a woman with some form of axe in her hand, and the overly detailed faces of the screaming victims.

"I've seen this before!" Zirah exclaims, before blushing bright red. She quietly coughs as Mako smiles faintly. "I mean, there was this room in the palace when I was growing up and it was just full of all these old paintings no one even looked at. And I used to go in there with my boyfriends to..." She blushes harder and laughs nervously. "To discuss art history."

Prince Wu gives her a seductive look and Mako just tries to focus on whatever they are supposed to find on the painting.

[X]

While Mako is going to find the painting with Prince Wu and Zirah, Asami and Korra take Yumi out into the fresh air of the outer walls, and at last, to the long fields of farms and mills that supply the city. It _is _good to have fresh air, Korra admits, and she sticks her head out of the window.

They had to bring Yumi, especially after someone just attempted to kill her in a bombing. Korra and Asami do know that, while they are huge targets, Yumi has the most importance now. Yumi, who is sitting on Korra's lap and grinning with her sticky hands pointing at the animals as the train soars across the tracks.

Korra and Asami hold Yumi's hands on either side, maintaining her like a workout weight as she dances around.

And then, of course, they come to a blockade.

"No one is allowed to see the historical site without an official tour," the secretary brightly says to them and Korra leans forward.

"I'm the Avatar, you know."

"Thank you for caring for the people, Avatar, but there is no one allowed into the historical site without an official tour." The secretary grins with her eyes sparkling.

"This is a matter of urgent Avatar importance," Korra says, her nose nearly touching the glass.

"Do you have proper documentation?" the secretary inquires through her oblivious smile.

"I am the Avatar!" Korra shouts and Asami grabs her arm.

"We'll take the tour twenty minutes from now," Asami declares.

Korra shrugs and pouts before Asami pokes her ribs.

"_Twenty minutes_..." Korra grumbles and Asami pokes her again.

They smile at each other as they find a bench to sit on and wait. Yumi does not like it much, but they will live.

"We haven't really had a chance to have a conversation about our..." Korra looks pretty reluctant to describe the feelings.

"Yeah, we do keep getting attacked and stuff." Asami laughs. "So, not much different from usual. You're the Avatar, after all."

Korra toys with her hair as Asami tries to think of words.

"We probably should talk about it before anything..." Korra is reluctant to say that too. "When?"

"Maybe right now," Asami offers.

Korra looks at the shreds of clouds in the sky and wonders why being the Avatar is so much easier than being somebody's girlfriend.

It kind of always has been.


	10. Korra and Asami Sittin' In a Tree

**Chapter Ten: **Korra and Asami Sittin' in a Tree

* * *

Korra isn't so great at talking about her feelings.

Believe her, she would like to be, but she comes up short every time. It isn't something she ever had to learn, and she has always liked actions better than words. Asami has always been much better at expressing herself or keeping a level head when Korra can't.

But she has to talk about her feelings right now. She is sitting with Asami, waiting for the tour of the crumbled, lost wall of Ba Sing Se. They've decided to talk about their feelings, and, so far, there has been an impenetrable silence between them.

"So," Korra begins, and she doesn't think it's an awful beginning. At least she managed to get a few words out.

"Yeah," Asami replies and doesn't seem to be adding anything on to that.

Korra looks around desperately for something to spark conversation and says, "That painting is very green."

Asami smiles because she remembers Korra making such terrible _rhymes _with green or nicknames because of Asami's eyes. They were so cute.

"Yeah. And there's some grey in it too," Asami comments and Korra nods. And then Asami sighs. "I really like you… and I've been remembering so many of the reasons why we got together. I keep remembering just getting in my satomobile and driving anywhere at midnight, and that time there was that awful power outage in Republic City and Bolin caught his hair on fire and we tried to sneak off for some alone time and…"

Asami swallows the lump in her throat. This is _hard_.

"I love that stuff too. How about, even if it's just as friends, as soon as we get back to Republic City, we go driving at midnight for no reason again. Forget our stupid grown up responsibilities and just _do it_," Korra says vehemently and Asami's eyes sparkle.

"Yeah, we say that and think that but it never works out. We have so much that we _have _to do that we somehow manage to just never go for that ride and months go by and we keep saying we will but we won't," Asami admits, her voice constricted with emotion. "You're afraid I'll get hurt… I'm afraid I'll lose you forever somehow."

"That's…" _all true_. Korra just hates that it is.

"When you and Mako… got together, I told myself that sometimes people who are supposed to be together can't be together. That's real life, not the trashy romance novels I know you read in bed," Asami says, tacking on the joke feebly. "I was thinking about me and Mako at the time, but it was you all along."

Asami toys with the hem of her skirt as Korra tries to find the right words. They're nowhere to be found but so overdue.

"That sucks," Korra says, and it's exactly how she feels.

"I know it does." Asami sighs now and examines her nails. "But I think that we're so hung up on each other that we're going to get each other killed. This killer is obviously way more than police work; they _bombed _the Earth Kingdom Palace and have left a crazy trail we can't figure out. I'm worried that being worried about us will ruin us. I'd rather have you alive and not mine than dead."

Korra hates that it's the truth. _Hates it_.

"The tour is beginning," calls out the rude woman who wouldn't let Korra in before.

Asami smiles at Korra and tries to hide her remorse as she snatches Yumi by the hand and walks to the tour group.

Korra stares after her for too long before joining them.

[X]

Within the walls of Ba Sing Se, Mako's job is proving to be just as difficult as Korra and Asami's. He is in a chilly museum with Zirah and Prince Wu and they have been stuck on this task for an agonizing amount of time.

"Well, I am sorry that I'm not a painting expert," Prince Wu snaps as he scours his side of the painting and comes up short.

Zirah and Mako are not having any better luck than him, so they cannot judge. Mako sighs, stands back and takes off his scarf; he is sweating like a gerbil-pig. Zirah has this _look _on her face that neither Mako nor Wu have seen. She has looked abnormally ordinary and extremely calm for this entire investigation, but she has a purely evil smirk.

"I think that perhaps the museum is getting in the way of our inspection…" Zirah says slowly and Mako and Prince Wu both look up at her. "Maybe it would be best if we could take it somewhere and examine it more closely."

Neither boy seems to get it at first. And then Mako says quietly, "I'm a cop. I can't steal a priceless work of art from the Ba Sing Se Museum."

"I'm so in!" Prince Wu claps his hands together, and then (thankfully) more quietly, leans in and says, "Just call me Prince Art Thief. No, the Prince Thief… The Thief Prince?"

Zirah cocks an eyebrow. "You work on that while Mako goes and surveys the area as if he were trying to _protect _the museum. Mako, you know how to do that from being a police officer, right?" Zirah asks and Mako nods. From being a police officer and a ruffian kid. "I'm going to figure out the best time and way to get in and get out without being noticed."

She frowns slightly at Wu and his sparkly scarf, at Mako and his obliviousness. Sometimes she wonders if she is the only normal person she knows. What if everyone else is normal and she's weird? Huh.

But, regardless, Mako strides away to start covertly analyzing how he is going to _break into a museum_, and Zirah locates the front desk as quickly as possible.

"Wu, come with me; we're using our royal status for evil." She beckons for him and he follows.

Here goes nothing.

[X]

"Are you worried about Kya?" Opal asks her aunt as she tries to figure out the archaic typewriter at the police office. They certainly aren't up to the caliber of newspapers or radio stations.

Lin looks at Opal, gives her a _shut up _expression, and returns to looking at the same files over and over again. She has been studying Amaransu's interviews after the insistent nagging of her niece. They are remarkably dull and Amaransu does not even seem to have basic knowledge as a witness, much less give any signs of being a _murderer_. But, after two laborious hours, it is as her eyes begin to wander that she realizes that three pages are missing.

"Opal, did you lose these pages?" Lin demands, looking up at the kid.

Opal holds up her hands to display her innocence. They are smudged with ink. "You haven't even let me look at the files, remember?"

Lin shrugs and stands up to go see if they were misplaced or if there are records of their damage. Another afternoon filling out paperwork.

When she explains what she is looking for to Lee, the young guy who mans the records, his expression gives away the importance of the pages.

"The water tribe lady came by three… no _two _days ago and asked for the Amaransu files that you have, but she just wanted three of the pages for some reason. She filled out the form, though; I did my job," the kid says, smiling in terror. Lin just shakes her head in exasperation.

"Give me the form Kya filled out," Lin demands and Lee scampers into the dusty library he guards and returns with a clipboard.

Lin snatches it and runs her fingers down the names. Kya filled out Form Eight of that day, and Lin flips through the pages until she reaches the official forms.

Of course, nothing is filled out. She has just left a note in large, curvy letters:

_Meet me at the Amaransu Estate Warehouse at 6 PM on the Fifth Day of Liotsuki. _

Lin glances up at the clock, because that is _today_. That is _today _and it is already 4 PM. Fuck.

Sighing, Lin tears out Kya's page, tosses the clipboard down without her usual regard for the rules, and dashes up the stairs.

"Opal, get your coat; we're leaving."

[X]

Korra is having trouble registering what just happened. Okay, okay, she was on the tour, Asami told her not to sneak away, but then Asami clearly wanted to sneak away. And so they abandoned the tour group and went searching along the remnants of the Fourth Wall.

Then, next thing Korra knows, she and Asami and Yumi are swallowed into thin air and end up in the Spirit World. Korra's only idea is Avatar Kyoshi or that she made some _serious _mistake while messing with the old rocks.

They are stuck here, no matter how they got here. The strange purple trees and orange sky that billow in a wind that does not feel nearly as harsh as that in the mortal world are the most stark difference. The sudden openness of the fields does not make it any better.

_"This is _our _place," Asami insists as she and Korra find a stunning meadow of purple and orange._

_ Korra tries to hide her excitement in vain. This is everything she wanted other than her Avatar destiny, and she cannot believe she has it._

_ "We might not be able to come back," Korra says, rubbing her neck._

_ Asami smiles coyly. "Then maybe we should enjoy it while we can."_

_ She studies the strange grass and flowers before holding her hand out to Korra._

_ And of course Korra grabs it, and lets Asami pull her into a forceful kiss that leaves Korra dizzy and warm._

Beside Korra, long after their vacation to the Spirit World, Asami clutches Yumi tightly to her chest as she feels herself being yanked between worlds. She recognizes the Spirit World anywhere… she feels pretty uncomfortable when she thinks about the timing of this accidental excursion.

Korra gazes at her, but the minute Asami returns the stare, Korra directs her attention at the sky. The clouds seem even stranger than they remember.

"So, what do you think we should be looking for?" Asami asks as she gazes at the surreal beauty around her. Yumi's eyes are even wider than usual as she gazes out at the scenery. "We must have been sent here for a reason, right? Unless one of us accidentally hit a Spirit World button, or something."

"I don't know. I don't even know how we _got _here. Maybe we should look for Avatar Kyoshi," Korra suggests, but she is not sure where to start. Usually her past lives are more helpful, and she would think if Kyoshi had something to do with it, she would at least pop in and say hello. "Yeah, let's look for her."

Asami gives a sharp nod. She doesn't have a better idea, even if wandering the Spirit World aimlessly is even more daunting than getting stabbed in a serial killer's hideout.

"I wanna go to the apples!" Yumi demands loudly, tugging at Asami's hair and pointing at the thick orchard on the horizon. Asami's heart skips a beat when she notices it.

"Spirit World apples," Korra says loudly, laughing. Asami turns bright red and gently pushes on Korra's shoulder.

"What?" Yumi asks, her words slurred by her fingers in her mouth.

"Just… sometimes bugs live in apples, right?" Asami explains to Yumi. Yumi nods. "Spirit World bugs are _freaky_."

Korra does what she thinks is a spectacular impression of, "Ahhh! Ahh! Korra, get it off me! It's horrible! Korra!"

"I… _did not_," Asami says weakly. "It had _glowing red eyes_. And _wings_, okay? I don't like bugs. You don't like spider-snakes."

Korra shrugs, still grinning. "Well, I got an awesome reward for it."

"I hope I had bug on my lips still," Asami mutters mock viciously.

Asami and Korra start walking, Korra still shaking with silent giggles.

They wander through the dense expanse of trees and Yumi grabs at the fruit, examines each piece, and decides there is something wrong with all of them. At last, she sees the one she wants, but it is _way _up at the top of one of the tallest trees.

"Really, Yumi?" Korra asks, groaning playfully. "Fine." She jumps onto the tree and starts to climb.

"You're like a tiger-monkey!" Asami calls up as Yumi smiles contentedly.

"Better than feeble turtleduck!" Korra calls back and Asami shifts her weight from foot to foot uncomfortably.

The Avatar clambers up to the branch, plucks the right apple and tosses it down. Asami dodges it, unable to catch. Korra laughs and slides back towards the ground. She stops, however, on a thick lower branch.

"Yumi, wanna learn to climb trees?" Korra asks and Yumi nods. She takes a bite of her apple and then tosses it onto the ground.

"I forgot I don't like apples," Yumi says blithely.

Asami rolls her eyes and walks Yumi towards the tree trunk.

[X]

Lin and Opal arrive at the warehouse as fast as they could drive there, and Bolin and Azula are both inexplicably waiting. They look so _impatient_. Lin crosses her arms.

"I called them," Opal explains softly. She gives Bolin an extremely awkward wave and he freezes. Pabu yaps at her happily and she grins at the fire ferret.

"You have the key, however, so we have been sitting out here and trying to prevent the little fur rat from chasing the spider-roaches," Azula says with even more disdain in her voice than usual, if such a thing is possible.

"Okay," Lin says as she grabs the key and counts the doors until she finds the right one. "Have you seen Kya?"

All them shake their heads and Pabu yaps again. Lin moves the key to the door and Bolin gasps. He has completely seen enough haunted, freaky places for one lifetime. But the police chief continues, twists the lock and the warehouse door pops open. It doesn't even creepily creak.

They walk inside at a few minutes past six. The warehouse is ice cold and filled with canvas drapes thrown over statues and paintings. Bolin grabs Pabu tightly to his chest and Opal can't hold back her small smile at it.

It's dark, and when Lin scans around, there is no sign of life save for the cobwebs brushed off of the fabric.

"Kya!" Lin calls, and despite sounding as blunt and brusque as usual, Opal thinks Lin might genuinely be scared. "Kya, you reckless idiot, did you get captured by a serial killer?"

"Uh…" Bolin doesn't want to say what he just found, and so he points.

It's a blood trail. Lin narrows in on it with trained eyes and follows it faster than she thought her old legs could go. Her needless hangers on follow, bending out and ready for a strike at any time. The blood becomes brighter and wetter as they round the corner and enter the office of the warehouse.

There is not anyone in the office, or so it seems. The blood stops there, however. Lin glances around and Bolin has enveloped his fists in rock. This feels _wrong _to all four of them.

Lin thinks about the fact that there were no hand or footprints in the blood. It _could _be a wound somewhere else, but anyone hurt enough to be bleeding like that would step in the blood or smear it on a wall here or there. She isn't sure what that means, but she thinks it has something to do with someone clean, cold and calculated.

"That closet is weird!" Opal points out, running towards the metal locker. She looks at the edges. "It looks like it was just moved."

Lin's eyes follow the marks on the wall Opal has seen. The blood is streaked there as well.

"Bolin, help me move this thing. I bet you anything there's a room hidden behind it," Lin orders.

Bolin's heart is pounding as he and Lin pry the cabinet away. She was right; behind the metal is a long hallway that is more freshly used than anything else in the warehouse.

"So, who's going into the creepy tunnel first?" Bolin asks and Lin walks right inside. "Good, right, that's good."

Opal grabs his hand and tugs him inside. They both pretend not to see him blush, because it's just adrenaline and old friendship. He's getting married. She's the one who broke up with him.

"Kya!" Lin shouts, ignoring the fact that she should be sneaky. Maybe she _is_ a little worried. "Kya, this is so far from funny that I cannot begin to explain!"

Lin shoves open a door with the most blood leading to it.

And she finds a room filled with blood. No, not smeared on the walls or out of a fresh wound. There are clean packs of it; it's the kind used for rare transfusions when waterbending or herbs aren't enough. Or for…

Lin swallows. This is not good; this is not good at all.

Azula nods towards the left. "Those ones are ripped open."

Those ones were used to make the blood trail.

[X]

Korra and Asami have helped Yumi get onto the tree, and now the three of them sit together. Asami is on a lower branch with Yumi, and Korra is on a branch across from and slightly above them.

"Asami taught me how to climb trees," Korra says and Yumi's eyes light up. She really likes their boring stories for some reason.

"She was scared," Asami whispers, nudging Yumi gently.

"I was _not _scared. I was brave and naturally gifted." Korra tilts her chin up and sets her fists on her hips. Somehow, she doesn't go crashing onto the ground.

"You fell ten or eleven times." Asami laughs and reconsiders biting into the apple Yumi handed her. Nope, Asami is never eating a Spirit World apple again for as long as she lives.

"But I conquered that tree in the end," Korra declares, taking a loud bite of her green apple, and Asami nods. That much is true.

Asami remembers that day at the park. It was so fun. She had barely met Korra, but she knew Korra was special then. She _always _knew that Korra was special; that's why she understood Mako and his stupid decisions.

It's really easy to make stupid decisions when it comes to that fool swinging on a tree branch while eating an apple as if gravity won't murder her for it.

Yumi sees Asami's smile and smirks.

[X]

The trio has left their tree when Korra hears someone behind her. Not Avatar Kyoshi, unfortunately. Granted, Korra did not look for her as hard as she probably should have.

It's Iroh. Way better than Avatar Kyoshi.

Korra throws her arms around him in a tight hug while Yumi looks quite confused. Asami awkwardly waves; he is someone who can make anyone feel comfortable, but Asami still feels like he is Korra's and not hers.

Even if Korra asked, _"When Asami and I get married, can we adopt you as our grandpa?"_

"This is the coolest guy ever," Korra says, gesturing at him. He says something humble and Korra says something arrogant and it's a great moment. "This is Yumi."

"Good to see you." Asami gives him an awkward hug.

"Come have tea."

Fair enough.

"I don't really like tea," Yumi says and Korra laughs. "It's gross! Don't laugh!"

"You will like tea once you have mine," Iroh insists, and he gestures for them to follow.

[X]

As Lin and her crew sift through the new bloody evidence, "Do any of these have labels?" Lin asks and Opal hears her _choking slightly_.

She is _definitely _worried about Kya.

"They all do," Bolin remarks, pointing at them. They look medical quality; they aren't the type of thing that should be in an abandoned warehouse without any other medical supplies near them.

Opal walks over and starts looking at them. "These are all Marker Ni."

"Okay, explain these to me?" Bolin asks.

"Chi Markers in blood. Chi flow is controlled by blood, right? That's how blood benders can cause so much trouble, and chi blocking has side-effects of blood pressure problems and stuff. There are four types: Ying, Yang, Tui and Ni. It's kinda simple. Everyone has a certain imbalance and stuff and it all really doesn't make sense to me, but somebody has to have matching types for transfusions and some diviners like to use it for sham reasons," Opal stammers as she tries to explain. No one has a better explanation for the science they do not truly understand.

"And Marker Ni is?"

"Marker Ni is the one that…"

"Can be used on anyone, of course."

"You were right, Opal," Lin admits, nodding once. "Or at least were onto something we don't know yet. Are there names on them?"

"Yeah, but I don't recognize any," Opal states, shrugging.

"Check the ripped ones," Lin says and Bolin walks over to them. He grimaces as he turns them over. He really doesn't like touching other people's blood.

"Yumi. These are for Yumi. You know, the witness with Korra and Asami?" Bolin says as he reads about the age, descriptors… they all are that cute little toddler with the sloppy wolf tails.

"Yes, we _know_. Do any _not _have Yumi's information on them?" Lin asks sharply. Her heart is beginning to race; this is even more deliberate than she thought.

"They all do." Bolin doesn't like this.

The room is silent, until, "I'm sorry I'm late!" echoes down the hall and even Lin flinches. Opal screams so shrilly that Kya covers her ears when she walks in.

"You're just _late_?" Lin asks with molten anger in her eyes. "You let us believe you were bleeding out here, and you were just _late_?"

"I didn't know being twenty minutes late was such a problem." Kya laughs and the takes a serious breath. "But, I actually found some freaky stuff we should talk about."

Lin clenches her jaw, pretends to be studying the blood packets, and lets Opal and Azula deal with this.

[X]

Korra, Asami and Yumi have had a pleasant, sunny tea party with Iroh. Asami is still in her rapture about the beauty of the Spirit World, as she had been before. She has been smiling too hard about how Yumi prattles on and on about how much she loves Korra and Asami and how much she loves tea now.

"Did you give her caffeine?" Korra asks Iroh with a cocked, faux-serious eyebrow.

"Just the sugar," he admits, but his tarnished gold eyes twinkle. "Izumi only drank it with sugar as well. It is an unfortunate reality of life."

"Did you ever meet Zirah?" Korra asks and Iroh nods.

"When she was a baby, only," he says. "Why do you ask?"

"I dunno. I guess because she's working with us on the investigation. Oh, yeah, the reason we came here was to find Spirit World clues because of Avatar Kyoshi's involvement," Korra says and she launches into an explanation of the case so far with Asami chiming in here and there.

Iroh is silent for a long while. "It sounds like you have many competent people helping you."

"But that's not enough sometimes," Korra says.

And Iroh replies, "The best clue to seek is the most obvious one. Perhaps somewhere here there is a way to look into the past and learn about what happened in the original murders."

"You were there, right? What happened?" Korra asks loudly, suddenly realizing that Iroh _must _have been around during the original murders.

Iroh grimaces. "I did not get involved. It was for the best at the time. But perhaps I can direct you to a few leads here in the Spirit World."

He finds paper out of nowhere, startling Korra, and begins to write down his ideas.

As he scrawls down many names, locations and directions, Korra exchanges a chilling glance with Asami.

"Seems like we'll be in the Spirit World for a while. Some exploring might be a change of pace, though," Asami remarks, smiling warmly but trembling with her nerves.

"Yup. Exploring." Korra walks over and studies Iroh's writing, desperate to escape Asami's emerald eyes. They're the color of the amazing Spirit World meadow grass they found one day. Asami focuses on keeping Yumi entertained.

And so, Korra and Asami go back to the start after deciding it was the end.


	11. Beginnings and Endings

**Chapter Eleven: **Beginnings and Endings

* * *

"Aunt Kya, you are a horrible person!" Opal exclaims for the fourth time.

Kya again cannot hold back her smirk. "You all love me so much. Even Lin was so worried. Did Lin cry? Did she?"

Lin grunts in response, still taking notes on the blood packet labels. Kya stands in the doorway, amused by their horror at her 'disappearance'. She is a _grown woman_ and slipping out of sight for a few days should not be that alarming.

Breaking the thick tension in the air, Bolin asks, "You said you had important stuff you found out?"

Kya holds up one finger, her cobalt eyes light up, and then she rummages through her purse and withdraws the tightly wadded up papers torn from the Amaransu Interrogations. She unfolds them, smooths them out and then holds them loosely at her side.

She clears her throat and all eyes are on her.

"The day Opal proposed her idea about the blood, I realized something," Kya says. "Something about a certain criminal activity of the Agni Kai Triad. They used to run the Black Market for medical treatments and supplies that people couldn't' get elsewhere. I knew it was ridiculous, but then I decided to go investigate. I found Amaransu's interrogation, and found the names of everybody who interrogated her, right?"

"Why her interrogation? Why not Kun Song's?" Lin inquires sharply and Kya laughs. Lin clenches her jaw and holds her tongue.

"I have that one in my purse too. No, Amaransu's seemed like it was overlooked even though it applies to the case. Okay, her interrogators. Pay attention." Kya clears her throat. "Of course there was this soul-sucking viper-bat, then my mom and your mom. But there was somebody else who interviewed Amaransu but not Kun Song or anybody else. Izumi's mom. So I called her, since nobody else is cooperating, and she was surprisingly forthcoming with the information," Kya explains and Azula blanches.

Lin thought so but didn't want to say anything. The Case of the Murders of 118 AG has felt more and more _off _the further Lin delves into the details.

"Do you have anything to share?" Kya asks Azula with a sparkle in her eyes. She receives a glare in return but it doesn't faze her. "I think you should tell them before I do."

"What is this, the Wei Haizu Trials?" Azula sighs haughtily. "Fine… What if I were to tell you that the Murders of 118 AG caused mass hysteria and had to be dealt with more quickly than the police could keep up?"

"That would be true," Lin says coldly, crossing her arms. This will be good.

"Right. Now, the original Chief Beifong and I were in the situation of knowing exactly who did it but having zero evidence that would hold up in court. It was him and we knew it was him, but, unfortunately, Kun Song was a trained hit man and didn't slip up in his work ‒"

"Or didn't do it," Opal suggests, but the golden glare silences her.

"The murders were getting bad and we just couldn't nail him with anything. So, we…" Azula hesitates. "Nudged fate a little bit in our favor."

Kya can't help but interject, "By which she means planting evidence in his apartment and coercing a confession out of him."

"Yes, and I supposed I talked him into suicide too," Azula snarls, nearly falling from the pedestal of stilettos and shattering all of her bones.

Kya cocks an eyebrow. "Actually, yeah, I think that's what Amaransu said in this interview."

Azula scoffs. "It doesn't matter how we got him. He was guilty. I did _not _talk him into killing himself; he knew he did it, he knew we knew he did it, and there was no other way to stop that sicko from killing half of Republic City."

"So, Kya, you're saying that the jilted vengeance path is starting to become even more evident?" Lin asks in a low, dangerous tone. Her eyes smolder as she realizes how serious this situation is… and how lethal keeping that secret was.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. _Or_ that the killer is still alive and well, and has some other reason to be starting up again." Kya dramatically pauses and Azula rolls her eyes so forcefully that they hurt. "Like maybe having a granddaughter with the same disease that Opal suggests started the first killings."

"You can't be implying Yumi. That's melodramatic and ridiculous. She's just a witness and you're overreaching," Lin states firmly, but Bolin points at the blood packets.

"Yeah… I'm pretty sure the killer didn't care so much about murdering Asami or doing stuff like that before we took a _witness_. To be honest," Bolin says nervously, "I don't think Yumi is that threatening of a witness. She didn't see anything except her parents getting hurt, and is a _baby_ who hasn't told us a thing."

Lin cannot believe she did not take Yumi into more consideration than an orphan who needed protectors. It makes her skin prickle in the cold air of the warehouse. This is bad. This is very bad.

"You have a point," Lin says. "Yumi obviously has more to do with this than any of us thought about. We need to get Korra, Asami and Yumi out of Ba Sing Se and somewhere safer."

"The South Pole?" Kya suggests and Lin slowly nods. It is the safest place Lin can think of off of the top of her head.

"Opal, go call Katara. Kya, help us finish investigating this place."

Lin snaps her fingers and her companions hesitantly get back to work.

[X]

Meanwhile in Ba Sing Se, Mako stares at a painting but does not see it; he is too trapped in his racing thoughts.

"This is a terrible idea. Can I repeat that?" Mako says under his breath and Zirah just shrugs.

"I'm not a fan of my first museum heist either," she says as she sidles through the massive party crowd with Mako and Prince Wu accompanying her. Wu is doing a much better job at averting suspicion… by being Prince Wu; he is shaking hands, smiling at people, shamelessly hitting on women. "But we're saving lives."

Wu snorts derisively. "Yeah, yeah, that's why the museum curator said even I, the prince, can't borrow the painting to stop a serial killer. I mean, what is that? Why didn't she want to save lives, huh?"

Zirah shrugs again. "It seems like you have a poor track record with royal privileges. I thought _I _would be able to sway them…" She frowns for a flicker of a second before focusing on the door that Mako pointed out.

Prince Wu prattles further, "Well, there are kind of only three of these left in the world, and they're all different so ‒"

"_Wu, what_?" Zirah hisses, stomping on Mako's foot as she comes to an abrupt stop. "They're all different?"

"Yeah, that's what the placard said, and the brochure, and also the lovely woman who told us we couldn't borrow it for that reason," Wu says as Zirah and Mako were _aware of this_.

"That _does _explain why collectors are obsessed with getting them all," Mako says, grimacing. "I really wish we had known that ahead of time. Do you still have the paper of the other one?"

"Yeah, but we couldn't find any differences. That's why we're doing this," Zirah snaps.

"So… I mean, on one hand, this is mainly recreated with advanced stick figures… on the other, maybe this just might be a sketch of the one in this museum." Mako stops and crosses his arms.

"Well, I guess we have to smuggle this priceless work of art to the Fire Nation then. Buckle up, boys."

Zirah's smirk scares both Mako and Prince Wu.

Late that night, Mako, Zirah and Prince Wu inform the palace staff that they will be leaving for the Fire Nation and won't return for an indefinite period of time. Then, all three filled with jitters, they make their way to the courtyard of the museum, towards where Mako pointed out a security weakness earlier today.

Mako asks, "So what exactly is your plan?" as he gazes at the museum illuminated only by the moonlight.

Zirah looks up at him and rubs her lips together. "We're going to break in and get the painting. Then we're going to somehow get it to the outskirts of the city, where an escort will be waiting for us. Then we're going to get to the Fire Nation and find the other painting."

Prince Wu puts two thumbs up and begins to saunter towards their entrance point but Mako is frozen in place. Zirah waits for him impatiently as morality wars within him.

"This is going to save a lot of lives," Zirah says softly and Mako takes two deep breaths. He knows she is right, and so he strides towards Wu and the museum before them.

Mako sincerely hopes that this doesn't go horribly wrong.

But knowing his luck, it absolutely will.

[X]

After the end of their relationship, Korra and Asami go back to its beginning.

As they examine Iroh's notes, the former couple wanders through the Spirit World. It reminds Asami of a life she remembers as vaguely as a memory from a dream, but she misses that life. Little does she know, Korra misses it just as much.

The sky is beautiful today, the foliage a swath of vibrant colors. They spent two weeks here once upon a time, and it felt like an eternity then. Being… _together _was the most perfect feeling that Korra had ever experienced.

She wants to chase it. The oddly colored clouds remind her of the lightheaded rush she feels when she is close to Asami. But that _feeling _is not worth pursuing; it ends only in pain.

"Do you ever think about what would've happened if you didn't turn up the way you did?" Asami asks casually as she meanders through the weirdly puffy trees with Korra and Yumi.

Korra scratches her head. "Turn up how exactly?"

Asami smiles. "In Republic City. That was… ouch, that was a long time ago. When did I get this old?"

"Oh, well, I like to think that if Amon and his supporters started running everything, I would've become a badass secret Avatar vigilante," Korra explains and Asami wonders if that is off of the top of her head or if she had thought about it at some point beforehand. "You know? Put on a mask and bring justice in secret. Like those comic books they sell about me but _better_."

Asami laughs, but Korra is dead serious. "And how exactly would you hide?"

"Oh, I wouldn't _totally hide_. I'd leave cryptic messages about the Avatar while purging Amon and the Triads out of the city with my badassery. I would be the _best _vigilante, Asami, you don't even know." Korra grins and Asami slowly shakes her head with a small, warm smile.

"That sounds cool," Asami admits.

"And I would rescue you from the bad guys and…" Korra trails off when she sees that Asami no longer seems to think that Korra's idea is genius and funny.

"I don't know why you think I need to be rescued," Asami says, coming to a stop. They were _so close_. The trio is on the edge of the forest that Iroh suggested searching first for information on the original victim of the Murders of 118 AG, but now they are going to stop and argue. "I've never needed to be saved. _You've _needed rescuing more than me before."

Korra sucks in her cheeks. She doesn't have a really good defense for that.

"I was just going along with the comic book…" Korra rubs her neck and blushes bright red.

Asami shrugs and wishes she had never brought it up. It is one of the things that made she and Korra's relationship crumble, and now she deeply regrets reminding herself of it.

"I'm sorry. We promised our relationship wouldn't get in the way of this case. Let's get going," Asami says hastily before taking off towards the woods again, Yumi swinging in her arms.

Korra gazes at her for a moment before sighing as she watches Asami walk away again.

That afternoon, they come up short in the forest. Maybe it is because of their feelings, or maybe it is just because they don't have much to go on while hunting for extremely specific information. Korra just starts shouting, "Avatar Kyoshi!" for a while, but ends up grumbling to herself in the end. Kyoshi better be _really busy _right now or Korra might lose it.

After Korra finishes screaming, they wind up in front of something beautiful. They passed crystals adorning trees with literal emerald leaves, birds of strange colors and the gorgeous color-changing sky, but it does not compare to the bright blue pool in front of them.

"This looks fun," Asami says, trying to fight her smile and failing.

"Yeah. Uh, nobody would mind if we took a little break, right?" Korra grins.

And so, Korra, Asami and Yumi go cliff diving instead of working. It is a dumb move, but Korra has become exhausted after the long day of attempting to use Iroh's map and her Avatar senses. They found themselves by a crystalline pool tinted pink and red by the gorgeous sunset, and there are jutting cliffs above it that make _perfect _diving boards.

Yumi, of course, doesn't get to jump higher than a small bluff. Asami catches her as she leaps into the water and Korra halts her waterbending bomb when she sees it. She exhales the cold water that shot into her nostrils and swims up to the surface. Korra wishes she made more of a dent, or at least attracted Asami's attention, but her eyes fixate on Asami and Yumi and she cannot stop thinking about how she used to imagine her kids with Asami.

Back when she was with Korra, Asami didn't think about them; she said she didn't like the idea after what happened to her mom. But, Korra realizes as she treads water and watches Asami play with Yumi, Yumi's mom was stolen too. They have a lot in common, those two, and Korra feels a tugging sensation in her stomach when she wonders if she and Asami have become more than guardians of a witness.

Korra swiftly swims to meet them both. "You guys are having fun without me!"

"Yes we are," Asami says with a teasing smile. She helps Yumi towards the shallow water and then leans back. "I've always liked seeing you swim," Asami says to Korra without thinking.

She feels stupid.

"I've always liked seeing you in a swimsuit. Or, your underwear today, I guess," Korra whispers in her ear and Asami laughs. It makes her sink into the water and she has to grab Korra to hoist herself up before she drowns.

Korra blushes at the feeling of Asami's hands on her slick skin. But they are interrupted by Yumi making a loud sound.

At first, Korra's mind snaps to her vows to protect Yumi from harm, but then she sees that it is just a colorful flock of dragonfly bunnies. They have gathered around Yumi and she is laughing so gleefully as she plays with them.

"I don't think I was ever that innocent," Korra says.

"You were too busy being the Avatar. I don't think I was either." Asami swims to shore and dedicates her time to coaxing the bunnies towards her.

One finally balances on her shoulder, and Korra stares at her… family. Asami laughing with Yumi, surrounded by spirits and dripping with water. They are… happy, and beautiful, and Korra struggles to understand the strong sensation she can feel pulsating inside of her.

Avatar Korra feels at home for the first time in a long time.

[X]

Meanwhile in Republic City, Lin has never been so relieved to see her office.

She walks inside and allows the warm air to wash over her before settling at her pristine desk and straightening up the files strewn across it from earlier. The warehouse seems like a memory from a dream, even if it ended fifteen minutes ago.

The officers assigned to examine the crime scene and the blood packets are at work, and she wishes that she could be at ease. At least she has her tea. It's cold, but she drinks it anyway.

A loud knock on her door interrupts her fleeting moment of peace. She groans but declares, "It's open."

Kya walks inside and Lin glares unintentionally.

"Why are you so mad?" Kya asks and her tone is serious for the first time on this extremely serious day. "I'm sorry I was late."

"You could have _told us _you were hiding. It would have taken two minutes," Lin says coolly and Kya exhales. She can deal with this problem another time.

"I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want first?" Kya inquires and Lin shrugs. "Okay, good news first. My mom can protect Yumi, Korra and Asami _and _she said she has some talented healers on staff who can figure out if Yumi _is _sick. Bad news is that Korra, Asami and Yumi have vanished."

Lin sets down her tea with a loud _thud_. "What do you mean _vanished_?" she demands through clenched teeth.

"Disappeared. You know? Evaporated. Went missing. I'm not a thesaurus." Kya wishes she could pretend this is as lighthearted as she is trying to make it, but it doesn't work out. She has not been so worried in a very long time. She has not felt so worried since she had someone once, but knew that she would inevitably vanish from Kya's life.

Lin loosens her muscles and tries to focus her head. "Spirit World, maybe?"

"Sounds better than dead bodies in an alleyway," Kya blurts out before deeply regretting it. No one here could bear that happening.

"Mako and Zirah. They have to be able to check in on them," Lin states, leaning forward.

Kya makes a small groaning sound. "They left the palace earlier tonight and said they were going to the Fire Nation and wouldn't be back."

Lin sighs loudly and leans back with her hands clasped on her lap. "I have no idea what to do with this case."

"You sound kind of… quitty," Kya dares to remark.

"I am _kind of quitty_. I don't know if I can do this." Lin shrugs her shoulders, shakes her head and admits defeat with her honor intact.

"That's ridiculous!" Kya snaps as her eyes burn with passion. Lin doesn't_ quit_. "I just found us the best clues ever, and we need to make sure Korra and Asami are safe!"

"I don't know what to do with those clues, and I imagine the Avatar will turn up somewhere." Lin turns up a palm and wishes that this were easier for her to do. She has been contemplating it for two weeks now and it should not be so hard.

"You can't actually…" Kya murmurs.

"You and Opal and the rest of you hangers-on can keep working the case. I have a few officers assigned to the crime scenes and you can have full access."

"Lin… you sound like…"

"I know. Because this case has been unsolvable for over fifty years and it's giving me ulcers. I have other work that needs attention." Lin swallows and stares at her desk for a moment. "Have a day, Kya."

Kya wants to tease her about _have a day_, but she is struck speechless.

"You really mean that, don't you?" Kya whispers.

"Have a day," Lin firmly repeats.

Kya's expression sours. "You too," she says in a tone colder than the South Pole, and she slams the door of Lin's office behind her as she leaves.

Lin leans back and closes her eyes.

* * *

**A/N: **So, shameless promotion due to _Mockingjay Part II_: This was my first Korrasami story, but I've been uploading another one since October. It's a Hunger Games AU, and so, if you like that kind of thing, it's in the crossover section with A:tLA. Aside from that, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you're enjoying the show so far.


	12. Unknown

**Chapter Twelve: **Unknown

* * *

Opal scratches her eyebrow as she sits outside of Lin's office with Bolin. Things couldn't be more awkward between them, and they both don't want to be the ones to break the news that Azula had to go back to the Fire Nation. Bolin is with Eska picking out various decorations for their wedding. It is coming soon in the North Pole, and Opal wonders if she will be able to stomach going to it.

Opal would call the vanishing of everyone waiting with her unexpected if it weren't for Kya's grand reveal a few hours ago.

Finally, Kya walks out of Lin's office. Her cheeks are ruddy and her jaw clenched. Opal's stomach twists.

"Lin quit," Kya says as she looks at Opal and Bolin.

Opal then frowns. "It's just us then, if you…" _want to keep fighting for this_.

"We still have…" Kya sighs and sits down. "That old viper-bat quit too, didn't she? We've got Bolin."

She smiles at him and he nods. It is not a very enthusiastic one, but he agrees nonetheless.

"Then I guess we'll have to catch the world's most infamous serial killer in three weeks without police or royal resources. Just a washed up old waterbender, a bright go-getter like yourself, a fire-ferret, a polar bear dog and whatever Bolin is."

"Yeah, that doesn't sound super easy." Opal toys with her hair and presses her lips together in thought. "Do you think Naga picks up scents? We could, uh, hand her the case files and ask her to sniff out the answers."

Opal laughs. Kya doesn't.

Instead, her eyes widen. "_Damn_. That perfume."

"What perfume?" Opal then realizes how stupid that was. She hasn't been able to get it out of her nostrils since she first started examining that haunted house.

"It was discontinued decades ago. Did they already think of that?"

Opal shakes her head. "I don't think it crossed my mind. Maybe Aunt Lin checked. I don't know how we can find someone through perfume, though."

"We're going to go solve a crime, Opal."

Opal smiles and says, "I am confused. But excited! Let's do whatever you're planning on doing!"

[X]

Korra wakes up in the Spirit World. She gazes at the sky that is so different from the one she knows. She looks to her side and sees Asami sleeping a few feet away. Yumi shivers and Korra gets up to check on her.

"You okay, kid?" Korra inquires and Yumi nods. "You don't look okay."

"I don't feel good," Yumi slurs, shivering yet again.

"We have to get you out of here and to some help," Korra says. Her heart races when she thinks about Yumi potentially getting hurt. Yumi feels like a child to her now…

And Yumi is her only real connection to Asami anymore.

"Hey, Asami. Yumi's sick," Korra says and Asami stirs before sitting up and standing up.

"She looks sick," Asami agrees. She rubs her lips together. "We need to find her a doctor. Which means leaving the Spirit World."

Their task here cannot be interrupted. They have to find Kyoshi, and they have to find the first victim in order to get information. But when they think about it, they let emotions get in the way of the case. That was their worst fear, and now it is confirmed.

"We need to get to an exit point," Korra announces. She lifts Yumi into her arms and begins to walk.

Asami gazes after her briefly. She always wondered what it would be like to have a family with Korra, to have a life with her, but she doubts that that will ever happen.

It breaks her heart, and she has to hide that fact.

[X]

Mako cannot believe what he is doing. He's a _cop_; he doesn't _steal_. Zirah keeps saying that it's about saving lives, and he supposes that he understands that, but…

Well, he still feels like he wants to put a stop to this whole operation.

They have the painting off of the wall and halfway towards the door when Wu drops it. Mako groans and hopes no one heard. Wu does not even apologize before the three thieves lift it again and finally make it out of the museum.

"You said you had people waiting for you outside of the city?" Wu asks Zirah and she nods in response. "That's good. Hey! I can take you the back ways!"

And so they stumble and fumble through alleyways. They take a deserted path out of the city and find two soldiers waiting. Zirah sighs from relief.

A voice comes from behind the men. "Stealing priceless art from a museum isn't the best thing to do, Zirah."

It's her brother.

It's her brother!

She is so busted.

"I agree would could have been more discreet," Mako says, adjusting his grip on the painting, "but this work of art can stop a serial killer."

"I also agree you could have been more discreet; you were spotted by four different people. I don't know if I can help you," Iroh II says smoothly.

"I'm sorry; this is our first museum heist," Zirah snaps.

"Luckily for you, I called Chief Beifong. I'll help you."

[X]

Korra walks with Yumi and Asami through the Spirit World. They have reached somewhere eerie and Asami walks closer to the Avatar. Korra picks up on some bad vibes right before they hit a dead end.

"Ugh. We should go back." Korra sighs. Asami thinks on her feet.

"There's a tunnel right there. It's narrow but we should fit without much trouble," Asami says, pointing at the opening in the rock.

Korra smiles. "You're amazing."

"I know." Asami flips her hair and flashes a teasing smile at Korra.

Korra examines the entrance as the trio hold back from entering. She hands Yumi to Asami and then sucks in a deep breath. As Avatar, she is fairly certain she has to go first.

Once she walks inside, she is at first greeted by darkness. But then, light glimmers in front of her. Korra walks towards it and feels an odd, warm sensation engulfing her. She loses herself in it for a brief moment before she sees Asami… and a baby?

Then she hears her own voice, but she has not said a word.

"She started walking? When did that happen?" Other-Korra asks in disbelief.

"While you were gone," Asami says coldly. The hatred in her emerald eyes wounds Korra to the soul.

This cannot be real. This is not real. This is the Spirit World messing with her.

Korra squeezes her eyes shut and runs towards the light at the other side of the tunnel.

On the other side, she senses an exit back to the mortal world. She looks for it until Asami makes it out of the cave, looking as shaken as Korra was. The Avatar cannot help but wonder what Asami saw in here that made her so jittery. Was it similar to Korra, or does Asami not have the same fears? Does Asami not have the same feelings?

Korra sighs. "The exit is right here. I'll help you two through."

[X]

Korra walks with Asami and Yumi towards Ba Sing Se. Yumi looks worse every second, and they need to get her to a doctor. That consumes their minds up until the point they realize that they failed their mission.

"Asami, I have to go back," Korra bluntly says, and Asami cocks an eyebrow.

"Why? We made it out and need to get Yumi help," Asami warmly replies, and Korra feels like a monster. She feels cold and bitter and she hates those feelings.

"I'm… I'm the Avatar, and I can't fail my mission. I have to keep looking for answers, even though I want Yumi to be safe. I think you can protect her while I go searching," Korra says. Asami looks at her like she is insane. Korra maintains her stony expression in order to keep focused on her responsibilities instead of her feelings.

"At least help me get Yumi help. Then you can double back and go looking," Asami insists. Korra cannot argue with her idea, so she silently nods and follows two people she loves towards the train back to the city.

As they sit on it, Asami turns to Korra.

"You're always going to have this, aren't you?" Asami asks softly. Yumi naps in her arms, and she and Korra feel alone. Alone together, at least. Korra wonders if Asami feels lonely; Asami wonders the same thing. Unfortunately, they do not ask each other.

"Have what?" Korra asks. She honestly does not know what Asami means.

"You're the Avatar, and restoring balance is more important than anybody else. I feel like Yumi is a great test of what if. What if we tried harder? What if we stayed together? What if you chose me over being the Avatar like you did for a little while? But I guess we know now. You're the Avatar; I'm busy… you're never going to be around," Asami says. Korra feels rage surge through her veins.

"Aang had a family just fine," Korra argues and Asami shakes her head. "I…"

"Do you want to try harder? Do you want to get back together? Do you want to try choosing the people who love you over—"

"Over the people who need me to protect them."

"I know that. But tell me if you think we should try again."

Korra squirms. "I don't know." She punctuates her sentence with a sigh. "I don't know."

Asami frowns. "That means we shouldn't."

"Why not?" Korra loudly snaps. Everyone on the train stares at them.

"Because you should be saying that you want me back, that you want a family with Yumi, that you love me more than anything in the world like you used to say. You should tell me that when you leave you'll always come back and do the hard work of being a wife and a mom and a person who would shout out that she loved us and didn't say, 'I don't know,' like that," Asami rants without taking a breath. She takes time to breathe; Korra takes time to think.

"But I don't know. _I don't know _if I can have that life. I'm being honest."

"I'm being honest too," Asami whispers.

Their conversation ends when Yumi wakes up and starts babbling at her caretakers.

[X]

In Republic City, Opal watches Kya break the lock of the haunted house. They head inside and walk past the eerie refreshment table and organized evidence. Bolin stayed behind to do wedding preparations, and so it is just the two of them.

Kya begins to explain, "Did you ever think about the fact that the smell of this place was so strong? If the last person who used that perfume stopped living her over fifty years ago, there's no way it would stick, even if she sprayed the walls with it every day."

"Lin said they were covering up the smell of that body in the closet."

"I don't care _why_. I care _what_. They would have to have more than just an old bottle if they made the smell so strong and fresh again. Akai Tsuki perfume was discontinued shortly after the Hundred Year War ended. Now, on top of it being a special order and being that brand, it severely limits the options."

"So, you think they still have a bottle of it? What if it's an old one?"

"Then it's an old one. This is way better than nothing. If I'm right and they had to get more somehow, there could be something. I asked Bolin to look into where a person could buy it."

"Bolin? He… that poor boy. He's wonderful but he's…"

"He'll manage. He helped save the world a few times," Kya says as she starts walking up the stairs. "Okay, check the evidence tables and bags first, then the bathrooms, then the bedrooms."

They scour the rooms until Opal says, "Auntie Kya, I found something hidden. It fell back behind the wardrobe. It's weird because I remember Bolin moving it."

Kya takes a slow breath. "Yeah?"

Opal hands a picture to her. "It has Kung Song in it. That's not too surprising since the killer is obsessed with him but—"

"Opal, hush," Kya snaps and Opal jumps. She never thought Kya could sound like that.

"What is it? Do you know that lady?" Opal asks, stepping up on her toes.

Kya swallows and says, "Well, I guess I know why they framed Kun Song."

[X]

In Ba Sing Se, "Yumi is getting sicker, isn't she?" Asami nervously says. She paces back and forth, wringing her hands.

The doctor examines her as Korra and Asami watch. They both feel overwhelming fear at what is in front of them. When the doctor frowns and Yumi shivers again, Asami's hand creeps to Korra's and Korra takes it. Even if they cannot have each other romantically, Korra will always support Asami and vice versa.

The doctor looks up. "She is getting sicker, Miss Sato. You're right about that. There's nothing I can do. Her illness is consumptive and very few people survive without frequent blood transfusions and other methods of care."

"We'll do that!" Korra barks, surprised at her own vehemence.

"I can't do it here," the doctor says. "I would advise you to go find a Water Tribe healer. It will be safer and give you more time to save Yumi than finding someone who is open to experimental treatment. The Fire Nation has a few, as does Republic City, but it is a shady practice."

"Katara," Korra says, turning to Asami. "Let's go parka shopping, Miss Sato."

Asami forces herself to smile.

Maybe a change of pace in the South Pole is just what their relationship, whether friendship or romance, needs.

[X]

Meanwhile, Chief Lin Beifong paces in the lobby of an upscale hotel in Republic City. She is waiting for Princess Azula to meet her, because Lin cannot quit at anything, no matter how much she wants to give up.

Kya, however, has not forgiven her or answered a single call. Nor has anyone else who was aware that she called it quits a week ago.

Azula walks down the stairs like some kind of beautiful creature headed to a royal ball and not to examine a dead body with Lin.

"There was another murder," Lin says the minute she sees the princess. "It was him… or her who killed them, I hear." Pause. Lin looks Azula up and down. "Are you up for another trip to the morgue?"

"Always," Princess Azula says.


	13. A Good Idea at the Time

**Chapter Thirteen: **A Good Idea at the Time

* * *

Lin stands in a morgue with a princess beside her, facing a mousy man examining the mutilated corpse. The body is different; the mutilation is similar but does not follow the right pattern. With the face spared, anyone could recognize the victim.

She wonders why.

Princess Azula breaks the bitter silence by saying, "It is not the gruesome bodies that unsettle people most; it is the survivors who loved them that rattle cities. The dead are completely at peace, but the survivors scream and cry and cling. They wonder if they could have prevented it. Do you think they would let someone else die so that they could bring that child or wife or mother back?"

"Yes," Lin says, walking forward to examine the fresh corpse. She further rubs in the herbal ointment she spread on the skin beneath her nose. The smell would be unbearable without it.

"There is one murder left after this one, if our killer follows the pattern. This is supposed to be important. We are supposed to know this person," the princess says.

"Do you know them?" asks Lin.

Princess Azula shakes her head. "No, but I think we should find out as quickly as we can." Pause. "I thought you quit this case."

"I did, until this body showed up," Chief Lin Beifong solemnly admits. "The killer needs to be stopped."

"The killer might not be going for twenty-five," Azula slowly says, her lip curling.

"Why do you say that?" Lin asks. Her anger surges as she thinks about how many secrets have been kept from her.

"The carving on the woman's stomach." Azula points and Lin notices the cuts for the first time. They had been overshadowed by the many incisions and tears.

_36\. _It still shines scarlet hours after the death.

"Does that mean something?" Lin makes it clear what she means without saying it.

The princess pieces together a possibility that she considered many times in the past. She liked being in denial until this moment.

"There are thirty-six oaths that must be taken to join the Triad. The assumption about Kun Song was that the number twenty-five was of importance; it means an undercover traitor. There were, however, possibly connected murders in earlier years. There were nine of them."

Lin groans and tears at her hair before taking sharp breaths and composing herself. "Those were all unrelated. None of the same markers. I don't know what you want me to do."

"Maybe you should speak to the woman who stopped the killings," Azula suggests.

"I'm talking to you." Lin pretends not to understand, as if that can make it go away.

"I'm not talking about myself," says the princess.

Lin sighs.

[X]

Across the ocean, Fire Lord Izumi clears her throat.

Prince Wu fights the urge to flee as Mako braces himself. Zirah sweetly smiles and pretends to be wholly innocent. Iroh II has abandoned them in the throne room.

"You needed to compare this painting to one I may or may not have, and so you stole it?" incredulously inquires the Fire Lord.

"Well, uh, it seemed like a good idea at the time," Zirah says. She stares at her feet. "Yeah, that's, I could've thought of a better excuse than that. Sorry, boys."

Izumi hesitates for a moment before continuing, "Thankfully, I talked to Lin, and she said she would take responsibility for the damage."

"It's not damaged," Wu confidently says, holding up a finger. "The painting is super intact."

"That's not what I meant by damage, but that is a good thing. I've never seen that painting before, and so there's only one place it can be," Izumi states. "We have an entire art gallery in the palace, but it's gone beyond fallen into disrepair. I don't think my father ever paid attention to it, and neither did I."

"I want to see the art gallery." Zirah beams. No one else looks any happier.

"I've heard of the Gao Family before," Izumi says as she leads the three young adults through the palace. "They're crooks, right?"

"Probably." Zirah shrugs. "They're definitely tied to the murders."

They reach a door, Izumi opens it, and everyone freezes in place. Wu peeks inside and as he takes one step, Zirah exclaims, "Don't!"

"What?" Wu spins around in a panic. "Don't what?"

"The traps!" she shrieks, suppressing laughter.

"What traps? Where?" Wu frantically glances around. Mako stands still as a statue.

"I'm only kidding." Zirah smirks. "There aren't any traps; I just couldn't help myself."

"You're stealing my heart more and more by the minute," Prince Wu earnestly remarks.

Izumi grimaces and walks inside.

The paintings are remarkable, and the scattered sculptures that look pried from the pillaged world. It is a wonder that none of it was returned to its rightful owners, but, if the room is as overlooked as Izumi said, it must have slipped by unchecked.

"I like this one. Look at that jewelry. He works it. Is he related to you?" Wu asks Zirah.

She shrugs, still focused on the stunning paintings surrounding her. "Not that I know of. He's wearing green."

"Very true. You're so observant." Wu grins at her and Izumi grimaces yet again. Her disapproval could not be more clear, and that makes Zirah wrap one arm around the man she sort of is dating.

"This is… interesting." Mako has few words for the large painting in front of him. He looks at it instead of the woman he is crushing on. The painting depicts someone bleeding in the claws of a dragon. A naked someone.

"I found it," announces Izumi. "It's disturbing. No wonder a serial killer would be interested in it. So, you have one, I have one, and the other?"

Zirah says, "I don't know about the other, but we can get started on this one."

[X]

Not far away, Korra gazes out at the serene sea, leaning over the side of a metal ship.

Someone taps on her shoulder and she nearly takes a dive into the frigid ocean.

"Sorry," Asami says, turning to look out at the water. The air is getting colder and colder as they approach their destination. "The trip to the South Pole is pretty long. We haven't really… talked that much since the train."

"I… maybe there's nothing to talk about. No, no, I don't mean it that way, I just mean it…" Korra shifts her weight from foot to foot. The silence deafens.

"Because it's true. I know," Korra admits, although she is not sure if she knows or not.

"We do have to take care of a witness together. I hope things aren't too awkward." Asami sets her hand on Korra's shoulder.

The two women hear nothing but the waves for long, breathless moments.

They are so close now. Their breath intermingles in the cold air. Asami can feel Korra's arm brush softly against her body and it lights her on fire. Static crackles, or so Asami thinks.

Korra kisses Asami on the lips.

Asami starts to pull away but changes her mind, fiercely kissing Korra back. Her hand slips behind Korra's back and her nails dig into the soft blue parka. Korra never wants to let go; the moment their kiss breaks she locks their lips again.

Slowly, Asami pulls away.

"I meant what I said during our talk on the train," she breathlessly says, reluctantly pulling her body away from Korra's. "This is just…"

"Why not?" Korra asks and Asami struggles to remember. Her better judgement vanished the moment she tasted Korra's lips.

Asami finally collects herself and replies, "Because I got so hurt that sometimes I would think about it for hours, and I can't do that again. We know what happens, and you're unstable and I'm unstable and we have Yumi and—"

Korra interrupts Asami with another kiss.

Asami shoves her away this time.

"I guess I misread that," Korra comments, her voice constricted.

"You did," Asami says, turning on her heel and fleeing the scene before she starts crying.

[X]

In Republic City, a muscular earthbender with a fire ferret on his shoulder interrupts a silent study session at the Police Station. He lights up the grim room when he barges in.

"Who's ready for Bolin's wedding?" He waits for a reply but does not receive one. "I am!"

Opal and Kya look up at him, setting their chopsticks on their plates almost simultaneously. Kya sees Opal's expression falls and tries not to sigh.

"I forgot about it," says Opal. "The killings kind of overshadowed it all."

"Yeah. Well, we just sent out invitations, but I thought I'd give you guys yours personally. It's two months from now. So close, right?" Bolin smiles, unaffected by the nightmare surrounding Opal and Kya. It must feel nice.

"Really close. I'm happy for you," Opal awkwardly says.

"Yeah. I've been pet-sitting, helping the case; do you have any breakthroughs?" Bolin sits down and Opal eyes Kya.

They only just returned from the house, and Kya baffled Opal with one action: she put the picture back. She hid it again even though she said it explained why they framed Kun Song—or at least pegged him with the crime.

Her fun-loving aunt keeps shooting her severe glances and Opal does not understand why. She keeps her mouth shut, waiting for the right person to ask.

"No," Kya says, smiling at Bolin.

"Anyone want lunch?" Bolin offers, looking directly at Opal.

She shakes her head; things are awkward enough between them already.

"I'll take you up on that," Kya says, standing and abandoning the paperwork she has been pretending to read.

"You sure you don't want to come, Opal?" Bolin asks. His eyes sparkle but Opal shakes her head again.

"I'm gonna keep going over this." She will keep reading over dead ends, hoping that they secretly lead somewhere.

"Okay." Bolin and Kya leave.

Opal keeps her gaze fixated on the gruesome crime photos.

[X]

On the ship heading to the South Pole, Asami walks into her cabin and sees Korra holding Yumi by the ankle. The little girl laughs hysterically and Asami cannot fight a smile.

"Ten gold pieces on Yumi winning this fight," Asami remarks and Korra lets the girl down.

"You're cruel," Korra says, pretending to be offended.

They share a smile that makes everything twice as uncomfortable.

Yumi does her job as the buffer when she says, "I'm _hungry_, Korra. Korra, Korra, I'm _hungry_."

Korra clears her throat. "Well, duty calls," she says, leaving Asami alone with Yumi.

Asami helps Yumi into her bed. She is not supposed to get too worked up when she is so sick, but Asami _is _glad that Yumi does not seem to feel as bad as she looks. Her skin is sallow, her eyes are bloodshot; Yumi looks like she has a foot in the grave and she is barely four.

"I played with Korra _all day_!" Yumi announces, slipping under the blankets.

Asami's chest hurts when she sees how Yumi looks even worse when she lies down. While Yumi may glow with happiness from her fun day, she still is ill.

The healers in the Water Tribe can help; that is what they do best. Nothing bad will happen to Yumi if it is the last thing Asami does. Korra holds the same opinion. The Avatar and CEO almost feel like parents, except they cannot be together. Not now, maybe not ever.

Probably not ever.

That thought hurts almost as bad as the ones about Yumi's sickness do.

[X]

Opal sits down on the floor in front of the princess, whom is seated in an ancient armchair.

"I want… to ask you something," Opal says.

"Yes?" coldly replies the old woman.

"I've been trying to write down this _book _about, well, the—the first killings—for a really long time. I'm a pretty pathetic airbender if I'm fascinated by death, aren't I?"

"You don't look like the type. You're too sweet and compassionate to want to watch a man get gored by a beast and feel cheated if he escapes." Her words feel like precise ice.

"Looks can be deceiving, and personalities can be complicated," Opal says.

"You want me to help you write about the 118 AG spree killings."

"Kind of," Opal says with a warm smile. She then sobers. "You know more about it than anyone else alive. You… do you know anything about a picture?"

"You will have to be more specific," says the princess.

"Me and… Kya found one here. She put it back and… I don't know why. It looked like a clue. If she won't say anything, I thought…"

"She put it back? Perhaps it was not important." Azula does not seem uneasy, but Opal still questions her alleged ignorance.

"I'll get it." Opal scurries away and up the stairs. She knows exactly how to get to the portrait, and she snatches it up.

Kya said it was why Kun Song was framed. Opal needs to know. In order to find out, she walks down the stairs and hands the portrait to the still-seated princess.

Azula takes it and examines it. She remains expressionless and Opal cannot read her.

"This portrait is evidence of his motive. Perhaps Kya does not want this case to be closed so easily. She was the one who decided to expose me and your grandmother," offers the princess but Opal does not believe her.

The murders have more to do with those investigating it than anyone will let on.

Opal makes a split second decision.

[X]

An hour later and across town, "Hi, Naga," Opal says, petting the polar bear dog. She smiles as she strides to Bolin's door and knocks on it.

She waits patiently until the door clicks and opens. Her breath catches when she sees that he is not wearing a shirt. Quickly, he pulls one over his head and clears his throat.

"Hey!" he says, starting to hug her but changing his mind halfway through the motion.

"I want to talk to you about the murders," Opal explains, her mouth dry.

He slowly nods. "I'm kind of, uh, neglected. I've been mostly babysitting the animals for the real investigators."

"The real investigators aren't trustworthy," Opal says.

"And you think I'm trustworthy?" His eyes light up.

"Something like that," Opal replies, bowing her head to hide her blush. No, no, this has nothing to do with their past relationship; it has to do with the absence of Mako, Korra and Asami.

"Come right in. Uh, Eska is home but she probably doesn't care."

"Probably." Opal believes that less than Princess Azula's response to the family portrait. "Maybe we can talk on the porch. I think Naga is lonely."

Bolin steps outside. Pabu chirps and follows him. He shuts the door and Opal tries to organize her thoughts.

"I want to catch this serial killer," Opal says. "I don't know if anybody else does. I'm not sure but there's something wrong with this… picture."

She cringes at her accidental pun as she holds up the portrait she smuggled out of the creepy house in her purse.

"That's that guy from the shrine… and she's hot." Bolin squints. "I shouldn't have said that. They made a cute kid too."

"Yeah. So, Korra and Asami are at the South Pole, and Mako is in the Fire Nation, and so I think it might be up to us right now. I kind of trust my aunt, but I don't think she trusts me."

"I don't think she trusts anybody." Bolin shrugs.

"Are you in?" Opal inquires.

"Do you have to ask?"

[X]

On the high and frigid seas, Asami stands in front of Korra. They stand inside of their small cabin, alone in the indigo night. Their eyes meet and their hearts beat too fast.

"I'm not going to kiss you again, if you're worried about it," Asami says, walking closer. Maybe she should not be walking closer.

"I won't either, unless you've changed your mind," Korra replies. Asami freezes in place. "I guess you haven't."

Asami stares at her. It is hard to stand there.

"We'll be there in another day. Yumi can get better and we'll probably get caught in explosions less," Asami softly says, her heart racing.

The tension in the air is palpable. They both cannot ignore it, and that makes Asami break out into a sweat. Korra feels the same way, chewing on her lower lip to keep from blurting out a thousand stupid phrases.

"Uh, Korra," Asami says. "I changed my mind."

Asami kisses Korra while her teeth are still out. It hurts her lips, but she goes in for another. And another, and another, and another, and another. They press up against each other, searing hot in the middle of an ice cold bedroom.

Korra's hand rests on her back, and then presses on it insistently.

Asami manages to lock the door before they fall into each other.

[X]

In Republic City, Lin Beifong picks up her mother from the train station. They drive in utter silence, and neither says a word until they settle in the Police Station.

Opal is missing, but Kya and the princess are waiting. That is good enough for now.

"Well, this case makes me feel inadequate," Toph Beifong calmly says, her hands clasped on Lin's desk. "I really thought I locked the guy up for good."

"You framed him and he killed himself," Lin brusquely corrects.

"We didn't _frame _him," Toph brusquely interrupts. "We knew he did it but we couldn't make the allegations stick."

"This killer seems aware of that," Lin states. "I don't know why you did it."

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Toph says, and her face dares anyone to question it. "If someone wants revenge, they want revenge. I don't think that's it."

"Why? You haven't even heard all of the details," snaps Lin and Toph sighs.

"I think this case makes you feel a bit inadequate too," she remarks to her dear daughter.

"We'll solve it before anyone else dies. I know we will," Lin earnestly says and Kya smirks at her. She glares back.

"I don't want to know any of your assumptions or connections," Toph says. "Just give me the facts."

[X]

At sea, Korra wakes up to small hands pulling on her hair.

The motion around her feels unfamiliar until she remembers that she is on a ship. The fingers wrapped in her brunette locks feel unfamiliar until she remembers that she has Yumi to take care of. The breathing beside her feels unfamiliar until she remembers what happened with Asami.

With Asami…

That…

Oh, spirits…

"Wait a minute, Yumi," Korra slurs, struggling to sit up. She swings her legs over the edge of the bed to sit and see the witness under her protection. "You need something?"

"We're stopped," Yumi says, grabbing Korra's wrist and tugging on her.

"Go see the ice. See if you can spot some penguins or something. I'll catch up," Korra hastily states and Yumi nods.

Once the little girl dashes off, Korra turns to face Asami.

The CEO now sits up straight. Their eyes meet, sapphire against emerald, both glistening for some reason.

"That was really stupid, wasn't it?" Korra awkwardly says. Asami nods.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Asami replies. She tries to seem confident, but she certainly is not.

"It did." Korra stands up.

They part ways as quickly as possible.

It wasn't a good idea at the time, because now everything is ten times as complicated. Their stay at the South Pole will be the most uncomfortable vacation in history.

They should not have done that.


	14. Liars All

**Chapter Fourteen: **Liars All

* * *

"Opal, take this," Chief Lin Beifong coldly says, pressing something hard and metal into her niece's hand.

Cautiously, Opal looks down and sees a police badge. Her eyebrows shoot up, nearly touching her hairline. Lin averts her eyes, her jaw jutting out.

"Is this mine?" Opal asks, her emerald eyes rotund.

"Yes. Your first assignment is to identify the latest corpse and track down their next of kin."

Opal smiles, her heart fluttering. With a sharp soothing breath, she nods.

"I can bring Bolin, right?" Opal eagerly inquires, clasping her hands together.

Lin groans, but mumbles a few words of consent under her breath.

[X]

Korra sits in her old house, bundled in the clothes her mom had waiting for her. She does not think much about the outfit; she thinks more about Asami's.

"How do you look so fashionable in lumpy parkas and oversized hats?" Korra asks, baffled and entertained by it.

Asami shrugs, smiles faintly, and spins around.

"Just luck, I guess." Asami then rubs her lips together and looks away.

Korra looks at her in a way that tempts Asami to cave in again. They are home alone on a dark, cold night that makes you beg for more warmth than furs and blankets.

"It's been forever since you came here last," Korra says. She has fond memories of it; she went home to introduce everyone to the girl she loved. They knew Asami, but they did not know how much Korra loved her. "It was a fun time."

Asami smiles openly now. "It really was."

Wringing her hands, Asami sits down and focuses on her breathing. She wants to be with Korra but she cannot _be _with Korra, which is a complicated matter.

Yumi runs into the room, sparing the two women from caving in to the desires. The little girl sits down on Asami's lap and leans back onto her, at ease and unafraid. Asami holds her and Korra watches with her heart fluttering at the sight.

They could have had children.

[X]

"I want to sleep in the floor. Really," Korra says, and it is true. It does not seem bad compared to sleeping beside Asami and Yumi, pretending that they are a real family.

Korra lies down, despite Asami's protests. She drifts between sleep and wakefulness, until she hears a scream and pops up. Asami holds Yumi on the other side of the room.

"Korra, Korra, we have to take her to a healer. Hurry," Asami frantically says, picking up Yumi and running from the room.

The Avatar does not know what is wrong, but she chases Asami as fast as she can. She dashes down the steps and onto the deserted street. The moon shines above, the only thing lighting the city of ice.

Korra takes lead and guides Asami to the best healer there is: Katara.

When they arrive, pounding on the door, Katara lets them inside and takes Yumi from Asami. She has surprising strength for such an old woman, Korra thinks.

"I don't want to scare you but she doesn't look good," Katara admits, finding a bowl of water and laying the little girl down. "What's wrong with her?"

Asami licks her lips and says, "I don't know. She's been sick, and we thought the healers here could look at her and I'm so scared…"

Korra grabs Asami's hand and holds it tightly. They meet eyes and find no comfort, but a solidarity that helps them bear this terror.

Katara helps Yumi to wake, but her expression remains grave. Korra knows her to look happy after she saves someone, and so the Avatar is well aware that something is wrong.

"I don't think I can heal what I don't know or understand, but I helped the best I could. There's…" Katara looks pained. "There's one thing I can do, but I don't want to risk it."

"What is it?" Asami whispers, leaning forward. Korra's frightened grip keeps her from standing.

"The sickness is in her blood. I can tell that much," Katara says. "I've…" Katara sighs and averts her eyes. "I've tried to help people suffering from this before. Two of them. One of them I had better success with but she still did not… didn't make it very long."

Korra's eyes widen, rotund sapphires in the dimly lit home. Asami's expression becomes blank, a stone wall trying to shut out the agony and horror.

"But we saved her," Korra says, referring to the night Yumi's parents were murdered. "We saved her…"

Korra swallows her tears and Asami blinks back hers.

They must look strong as Yumi's eyes open. She looks so frail and weak.

Korra has never felt like such a failure before, even after a life of mistakes and wounds.

[X]

"It will be okay," Asami softly says after they tuck Yumi into bed and walk to Asami's room. Korra has agreed to stay with Yumi and be there in case something goes wrong. "We can still help her."

"_How_?" Korra demands, gnashing her teeth and clenching her fists. "_How _can we save her when there isn't a cure?"

Asami averts her eyes with her lips slightly pouted. Korra tries to calm down, knowing she just upset the person she loves most, but the anger comes in incessant waves, each stronger than the last.

Korra punches the wall and the snow twists and bursts under her fist. Asami barely dodges the blast of snow and ice that showers the hallway. It does not make Korra feel any better.

Slowly, Asami touches her shoulder. It snaps her back to reality.

"If anybody can do the impossible, it's us." She kisses Korra on the lips.

They fall into each other.

[X]

Kya sits in Lin's office and toys with a metal decoration.

"I sent Opal to the morgue but she hasn't gotten back to me." Lin sighs. "I'm sure they didn't have much to tell her since I removed the files."

"So, you sent them on an impossible mission to stop Opal from asking her reporter-style questions," Kya states, cocking an eyebrow. Lin scowls.

"Have you ever heard of glass houses?" she snarls, returning to her work. She is not doing a very good job of reading the weekly reports from her officers; all she can think about is this serial killer and the fact that her mother is staying in the guest room of her house.

"I'm not throwing stones; I'm just saying we're horrible people." Kya shrugs and flicks the metal. She winces and quickly sticks her stinging finger into her mouth.

"This matter is ours now," Lin says.

"It's not really yours," Kya replies, bristling as her fingers drift briefly to her necklace. Lin should have known better. "It's mine. This person killed her."

"Not directly," Lin hastily says, wishing she were anywhere but here. Even home with her insufferable mother. "They…"

"_Lin_, we saw the blood, we saw the evidence, Opal has a really good point about the killings. I never considered it because nobody else did but this person _killed her_." Kya's eyes look hard and angry, a sight Lin never thought she would see. "They _killed her _and we need to stop them."

Lin parts her lips to speak but forgets the intended words.

What can she say in this situation? She is no good at comforting people and she is nowhere when it comes to progress on this case.

Secretly wishing she could do more, Lin returns to her work and lets Kya drift into pained memories.

[X]

In the morning, Asami carries Yumi to Katara's with Korra walking a few steps behind. They have subconsciously avoided being beside each other since last night, and so Korra staggers behind on their rush to try to fix Yumi.

Once they arrive, "The girl I used bloodbending on was suffering from a botched attempt at a cure," Katara explains after handing Yumi a candy and turning her attention to the makeshift mothers. "I tried to fix it and we all thought it worked. It didn't. I'm familiar with the disease because of that, but I wouldn't be doing the same thing."

Asami asks, "What was the cure?"

"I won't say, because you'll try it," Katara insists, guiding Yumi to her operating table. "It's the attempt of somebody desperate."

"If you haven't noticed, we're kinda desperate!" Korra snaps, not thinking about how livid she sounds. Katara's admonishing expression makes her shrink and murmur, "I'm sorry for being like this."

"Not _that _desperate," Katara sternly says, and Asami and Korra take her word for it.

She attempts to help Yumi, not knowing if it will do more harm than good, but knowing the alternatives are worse.

During the healing, Asami and Korra step outside. Their passion overrides their sanity and Katara kindly tells them that they are increasing the risk of injury by being so tense.

"I feel kind of like she's my kid," Asami says, meeting Korra's gaze for the first time since last night. "I feel like she's _ours _and I feel like we can't do anything right even though we're… we _were _in love."

Korra stares at her until she furrows her brow.

"I—I was just—I forgot how your eyes are. They're green. They're _really _green. This insanely beautiful emerald green and—"

Asami touches one finger to Korra's lips.

"Please don't," she whispers.

Korra, for the first time, truly understands why she and Asami feel the need to stay apart.

"We can't do anything right, can we?" Korra softly says, her anger transforming into sorrow. "I can kick ass and you're good at science but we really aren't good at being regular people."

"Nope. We suck at being normal people," Asami admits. She wants to reach for Korra's hands but stops herself. "If Yumi makes it… maybe we could suck at being normal people together."

"But things were really good the past years and they were really bad when we were together. How many times did we run away from each other over a fight? How many times did we break furniture or not speak to each other for days?" Korra sighs and sits down. "I only know how many times you…"

"I'm sorry." Asami feels tears blossoming in her eyes and ducks inside of Katara's house to hide them.

She wishes Korra had not brought that up, but it was only a matter of time.

Korra may be blunt, brash, bold and frustrating in many romantic settings, but Asami was the one who cheated on her. Korra _had _smashed half of Asami's furniture when Asami left and succumbed to such a horrible thing, but Asami still knows she was the one who broke the relationship for good.

Why on Earth does Korra want her back so often?

[X]

Bolin asks over the sound of cricket-locusts, "Aren't we, uh, supposed to go to the morgue in the daytime? Because in the daytime we can talk to the coroner and sign any papers and…" Pause. "We're breaking in, aren't we?"

Opal mischievously smiles as she removes her distorted bobby pin from the lock. She opens the door and steps inside, waiting for Bolin to follow. He tries to resist, but ends up giving in to curiosity and a pretty girl.

"I want to look at their archived files and any information they'd hide from us," Opal whispers, lightly skittering down the stairs. Bolin makes _much _more noise on his descent. "Believe me, they're hiding things. Have you noticed how they've been acting? And with my grandmother here, I really think we've stumbled into something _super _bad."

"Well, I mean, serial murder is pretty bad."

"So is framing an innocent man for it," Opal whispers. They finally enter the morgue itself and Bolin grimaces. He looks at the bodies while Opal begins to rifle through file cabinets.

"I kind of…" Bolin nervously pokes one of the covered corpses. "It's kind of depressing to look at this. You spend your whole life at the gym getting buff and working hard to save the world or get rich or whichever of those… and you just end up… a dead loaf."

Bolin chuckles. Opal shakes her head.

"You…" Opal hides her smile in the shadows of an open drawer.

"It's funny because _dead _loaf… like _bread _loaf."

"I know, Bolin." Opal opens the cabinet that should have her answers and sees a red slip of paper sticking up. It reads: _Case 235 and all relevant paperwork have been relocated._

Opal clenches her jaw. Darn.

"I really hope these didn't get relocated to the police station." Opal sits down on the cold stone floor. "That place is way harder to break into."

Bolin turns away from the autopsy tools. "You could try the office here," he says, pointing at the door.

Opal nods, jumps up in a light, swift motion, and unlocks the office door with her breath held. She steps inside, walks to the desk, and sees the files she was looking for all stacked up. There are years of deaths attributed to the spree killer of 112 AG all detailed within these pages.

The airbender sits down and starts flipping through them.

"Bolin, come help," she requests, and he walks inside, standing on the opposite side of the desk and searching the papers.

"Hey, uh, can I ask you something?" Bolin inquires, setting down the coroner's report that is older than him.

"Of course," says Opal as she seeks the first killings.

"Do you think things could've gone differently between us? I don't mean to…" Bolin wishes he had not said that. "I know I'm getting married and I'm really glad I bumped into her again but I think the only reason I went back to her is because I was on the rebound. Korra and Asami just have me…"

"Have you thinking," Opal softly says. She locates the pages she was looking for, but does not read them. She meets eyes with Bolin instead. "I think things could've been different, maybe. We were just going in different directions in life. You wanted to travel, I wanted to focus on my career and… I think we did the right thing."

Her chest pangs, but she tries not to show it. Bolin bows his head and pretends to study the archaic paperwork.

Opal reads the first murders. One has question marks written on it in fresh ink, and Opal recognizes her Aunt Lin's handwriting. _She was the first? _

This report does not say anything about the serial murders. It happens months before the official initial death. Her name was Saiko and she was a member of the Agni Kai Triad. They called her death gang-related after finding her in Yue Bay. The murders after her were originally attributed to the Agni Kai Triad as well, then declared caused by involvement in the Black Market.

After innocent people started showing up left and right, these people were forgotten. Lin Beifong, however, dug up their deaths for some reason.

Opal thinks about the blood, thinks about her theory, thinks about the constant back alley demand for medicines and procedures. All of these people cut to pieces were shady healers.

But they did not die of the cuts, like everyone else.

"Bolin," Opal says and he peels his gaze away from the floor. "The first bodies didn't die from their knife wounds like the others."

"How did they die?" he asks.

"Electrocution by an unknown source."

* * *

_**A/N: **Four chapters left! I'm very excited since these last four are the intense finale of the murder case and Korrasami. Thank you so much for reading, thanks for waiting ten thousand years for updates, and I hope you're enjoying the show._


	15. Dearly Beloved

**Chapter Fifteen: **Dearly Beloved

* * *

The trip to the morgue has left three possibilities in Opal's mind. The first is that she has been working with the serial killer all along, the second is that she has been working with the serial _killers _all along, and the third is that there is not a serial killer in the first place.

The only person who can tell her the truth is Kya. She tracks her colleague slash auntie down on Air Temple Island and convinces her to sit down for tea.

Opal cuts to the chase as soon as Kya pours the chamomile. "Please tell me what you guys are hiding. What was in that picture?"

Kya does not seem surprised. She purses her lips until she truly knows Opal will not back down. The waterbender tries to lie. "Nothing."

"I went to the morgue after hours. I looked through the papers that were taken out of the file cabinets, and I learned a lot. Like the fact that my blood type theory isn't far off when the first deaths were all of healers studying blood transfusions. And that those first few deaths weren't killed by knife wounds." Opal waits now, eyes wide and posture tense. She sees Kya's expression change.

"This probably is a serial killer, but it isn't what you think. It isn't any of us. This time, at least," Kya whispers, averting her eyes. Opal has never seen her like this.

Opal breathes, "This time at least?"

"You said you read the files. I didn't know about the murders, I swear, not until you brought up your theory. All of the donors I dealt with were willing. Or… that's what they told me, and I was a trusting teenager and young adult."

"Donors? Were you sick?" Opal chokes.

"No. I…" Kya sighs. "It's a long story. Are you ready for it?"

"Yes," Opal agrees, enthusiastically nodding.

"When I was young, I had a close friend I spent a lot of time with. We had summers on Whale Tail Island and Ember Island and the mountains. She was adventurous and free like me, but she had very overbearing parents who didn't want her to be with me. They were worried. Her mother died when she was twelve. When we were seventeen, she broke up with me and I didn't know why.

I went and traveled and found myself. Then I learned why she ended our relationship; she was sick with what her mother died of. She didn't want me to get hurt. I didn't want to get hurt either, but I went to her and I somehow got her living mother's blessing to get engaged to her. I made her a necklace and everything."

Kya touches the shimmering blue pendant on her neck. Opal's gut twists.

"That was it," Opal whispers, and Kya nods.

"Anyway, I didn't want to get hurt—she was right about that—but I wanted to help her. We found our way to an illegal clinic that was giving treatments. She prolonged her life for quite a while. We relied on that medicine, but, eventually she became sick of it and we moved to the South Pole. My mother helped her with the pain—it was all she could do—and she died."

"I never knew that," Opal quietly says, losing interest in her tea and blinking back tears.

"Yeah. The minute you met up with me and Lin and pointed out your observation, I began to think about it. I knew that the treatments were outlawed because they were born from unethical experiments various people exposed to the public."

"So, what was the problem?"

"Opal, this isn't like when someone gets stabbed and has blood loss. This required the _death_ of the donor. I've never done anything so selfish and cruel in my life and I've been trying to karmically make up for it ever since. I understand how far someone can go to save somebody they love."

"But one person trying to get unwilling donors can't bomb buildings or organize what they've done. The dedication to copying the murders is psychotic. It doesn't seem to be on a mass scale as if another clinic opened since the deaths only occur once every three weeks or so."

"I don't know. I don't know the answers. The truth is, everybody in that room didn't want to face the things we've done. Letting people die, framing a man who might have been innocent just to comfort the city…" Kya averts her eyes, cheeks red with shame.

Opal stands up, her heart racing. "You all can make that right again!"

"I know," Kya says, sitting up straighter. "I told them that there comes a time when you can't hide from the things you've done anymore. There comes a time when you have to face the music and face the person in the mirror if you want to start your life again."

Opal sits again, her heart pulsing even faster now. "I think I'm still in love with Bolin."

Kya smiles faintly. "That's pretty obvious. How'd you lose him?"

Opal has tears in her eyes when she replies, "I got sick of him—I thought he was too immature—and I thought I'd find somebody better. The truth is, everybody you love makes you want to tear your hair out sometimes. I wish I'd known that before he ran into his ex in a park and decided to get married."

Kya frowns, then looks up. "You still have a chance."

"He's getting _married_," Opal says, groaning after she speaks.

Kya cavalierly shrugs. "You don't have to stop his wedding. I mean you still have a chance to tell him how you feel, because you don't know when he's going to be gone."

Tears blossom in Opal's eyes. She stands up.

"I should go see him," she chokes out.

Kya gives her a sharp nod, and Opal takes off into the night.

Opal does not go visit Bolin.

She panics and just goes home to her apartment.

[X]

In the South Pole, Korra sits on a block of snow with Yumi on her lap. The marketplace is busy on a such a warm day. It is still too cold to go without gloves and a parka, but the sunshine draws people to the shops in the center of the city. Asami is meandering through them; Korra is bored.

The Avatar tears a chunk of snow out of the block and starts to bend it into different shapes to entertain a wriggling Yumi. The little girl stops struggling and stares at the beautiful shapes Korra can make with only one hand.

"Isn't that cool?" Korra eagerly says, her eyes as bright and glistening as the snowfall. Asami cannot stop looking at her and she hates herself for it.

Yumi wriggles again, not settling for the small show the Avatar performs.

"I wanna walk!" she whines, wailing on the last shrill note.

Asami shrugs. "We might as well go for a stroll in the snow. It _is _sunny and it almost never is here, after all."

Korra leaps up, Yumi snuggled in her arms. "I love that idea!"

"Let's get started," Asami lightly says, nodding towards the road.

The two women and the witness under their protection begin their walk. They trudge through the gentle, light snow that fell yesterday. It still slips up Asami's feet as she walks, but Korra has complete and utter stability.

They wander together through the frozen city, wordless.

"You know," Asami says as they stop in front of a new neighborhood Korra does not recognize, "It really means something when two people can be quiet together. You've found somebody special when you can just shut up and enjoy the silence."

Asami hastily taps Yumi's nose and pretend she was talking to her. Perhaps Yumi _does _count; the little girl sleepily rested in Korra's arms without complaining once on their walk.

"Hey," Korra says, trying to change the subject and peel her gaze from Asami's beautiful emerald eyes, "let's check out this new development. It's cool that my home is expanding and all."

"Sounds interesting," lies Asami, licking her cold, chapped lips.

Korra grins.

[X]

That afternoon, Asami clings to a hot mug of tea, desperately trying to warm her hands without their mittens. They have just arrived at Korra's house. The Avatar hugs her mother when Senna walks into the warmish kitchen. Asami follows with Yumi limp in her arms. The total comfort of the child is remarkably cute to everyone in the cozy room.

"Mom, you're never gonna believe this," says Korra, laughing already. "We bought a house."

Senna cocks an eyebrow, her lip twisting into a concerned shape. "You two live in Republic City. It's probably best for you and—did you get back together?"

Korra replies, "We can buy a house as friends. We really bought it as just friends."

Senna hmms nervously. "Friends who are raising a kid together."

Korra protests, "Yumi is just a witness of a crime. We're protecting her, and because of that we'll all be in the South Pole for a while during the whole serial killer investigation, and we can use the house if we're ever back in town for Avatar duties or business deals or whatever comes up."

Senna weakly smiles. She tries her best to be positive about her daughter's decision. It was reckless and a bit insane, but she expects no less from her headstrong little girl.

"Why don't you two settle in the living room and I'll get started on dinner," says Senna, pointing out of the room.

Asami and Korra exchange a small smile and leave the kitchen. Korra sets Yumi down on Asami's lap, right on the hearth, and starts the fire with her bending. Asami sighs from relief when she feels the heat, and she cuddles a pale Yumi closer to her.

"So," Korra says, sitting down across from them, "I guess we're raising a kid."

"We don't make a bad family," Asami states, shrugging one shoulder. "But we have to protect Yumi from more than a serial killer or whoever performed that bombing in Ba Sing Se. We have to save her from her illness."

"Katara said she could keep treating the symptoms while we're in the South Pole," Korra vehemently says, terrified of even _thinking about _Yumi dying. "She also said Yumi just got sick and has a few years left. That's enough time for us to find treatment for her."

Asami knows that to be true. Yet, she still has this ache inside of her that needs to be healed by Yumi getting cured. If there _is _something that can be done for her, why would someone withhold it? What could be so bad?

"I think we're kind of good parents," Asami says, petting Yumi's hair as she falls asleep. "I thought we'd be a mess about her—we were, yes—but I think we could've done this," Asami softly says, averting her eyes. She does not want Korra to see her thoughts. "I know we had responsibilities that would make it hard to raise a kid, but I think we could've done it."

When Asami looks up, she sees Korra's broad smile.

"We still can," she says, her eyes softening and sparkling.

"If we were together," Asami whispers, turning her face away. She cannot look at Korra, not when her heart hurts this way.

Korra takes a breath, catching herself. They promised to set this aside until after the nightmare ends, but it feels like a pressing matter. Still, Asami keeps gazing at the fire instead of her ex-girlfriend, and so Korra keeps quiet.

They wait for dinner, again in comfortable silence.

[X]

Across the ocean in Republic City, Mako comes home by sea with Zirah and… Prince Wu. Opal stands with Kya and Bolin at Yue Bay, and once they leave the ship the airbender embraces all of them. The prince holds onto her for an inappropriate amount of time, but she cannot help but just laugh about it. Bolin grabs his brother by the hand and pulls him into a fast, fierce hug.

"How did it go with the paintings?" Opal quickly asks.

"We found something. The paintings all were once kept in this art room of the Royal Palace," says Mako, standing up stiffly now. He looks like a police officer again. "We looked up history books about the story depicted in the painting and ended up finding out that all of the books in the palace had the same mark on them. They all belonged to the same person as the paintings, and most of them were missing tons of pages. Zirah has the books in her luggage."

Opal smiles. "This is a lead." She abruptly hugs Bolin and kisses his cheek. "This is a lead!"

"We do love leads!" Bolin says, his heart going into tachycardia. It is hard to focus on the serial killer case when he cannot breathe as he tries futilely to fight his blush.

He watches her pull away from him and cannot stop staring.

It makes him guilty to know that he has never looked at Eska like that.

[X]

At night, Korra and Asami lie down in bed on either side of Yumi. The child sleeps even more, making both women worry about her illness. Yet, they have other serious matters on their minds too.

"I trust you," Korra says, turning to face Asami. Her back twinges in this position but she barely notices. "Even though you cheated, I trust you, and I'll always trust you."

Asami opens her eyes. She cannot pretend to be asleep and miss out on this necessary conversation.

"It was a sign. It was a sign that we were in a bad place," Asami whispers, clasping her hands over her navel as she stares at the ceiling. "Maybe I was subconsciously looking for an out, or a way to end it all. I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you."

Korra's heart leaps into her throat, but she cannot turn back now. They need to plod forward, even if it gets difficult. That is what love is about. It is what love _requires_.

"The thing about you is that I can never imagine myself being with anybody else." Korra gets choked up and must stop speaking for a few seconds. She starts again, her voice clear, "When we got together, I knew we'd stay that way."

"I know. I had five year plans, and ten year plans, and twenty year plans for us. But, Korra, we were killing each other." Asami repeats herself in a whisper. "We were killing each other."

Korra refuses to accept that.

"We were destined for each other. I thought that, at least. You know I can't be with anybody but you ever. I can't." Korra blinks and a few tears roll down her cheeks. She stops crying before Asami notices, thankfully.

"Sometimes the person you were destined to be with isn't the person you end up with."

Asami hides her tears too.

[X]

Meanwhile, in Republic City, Chief Lin Beifong makes the most important arrest in decades. She is in the hideout of the copycat killer late at night. Lin does not believe in ghosts, but the place gives even someone as hardened as her the creeps, especially when she is alone here, surrounded by eerie evidence.

A door creaks and she snaps to attention. Footsteps pound downstairs and she slowly sidles down the stairway wall and stands face to face with a man. Early thirties, bright green eyes visible in the moonlight, pale skin, messy black hair. She lunges forward and the fight against a firebender lasts for mere seconds.

Metal is the most powerful element, in Lin's very biased opinion.

She brings him to the station and cuffs him. Her officers flock around, trying to hide that they are fascinated by the potential copycat killer but not doing a good job.

Lin ignores her curious employees and walks inside of the interrogation room. He sneers at her, emerald eyes unafraid. But she is not easily intimidated, which makes him avert his glare first.

She crisply, professionally begins to inquire, "What do you—?"

He shouts, incensed for no clear reason, "WHERE'S YUMI? YOU PEOPLE TOOK HER!"

Lin's eyes flash wide. Her poorly concealed surprise silences him, but his teeth are still clenched and bared.

"Why do you want Yumi?" Lin inquires.

"She's my _child_!" he exclaims, forcefully standing up despite the stiff handcuffs.

Lin's eyes flicker from shock.

[X]

In the morning, Asami and Korra go through the frantic torment of figuring out how to get Yumi dressed. Wrapping her in her parka is harder than fighting the entire Red Lotus with your hands tied behind your back. Yet, Korra cannot stop laughing, which is infectious.

The happiness almost erases the crying.

"Hey, Korra," Asami slowly says, setting Yumi down by the fire, "I think last night was a mistake."

"Yeah."

"No, not that kind of a mistake. I think that knowing Yumi is sick makes me realize we don't have all the time in the world. And I know that I can't imagine myself with anybody but you either," Asami remarks, her heart racing. "Can we try?"

"Yeah. Why not?" Korra smiles. She does not think she has been this happy in ages.

"We'll try again, and if we don't make it this time, we'll end it for good," Asami states, stepping closer and closer to Korra. "And we'll go slow. Promise me that we'll go slow instead of going right into a pre-marital honeymoon in the Spirit World."

"Let's do this," Korra says. "My answer isn't 'I don't know' anymore. My answer is that I've never been more certain about something in my whole life."

Asami smiles. "I have to agree."

Their lips meet and, for the first time in a long time, they do not feel guilty about it.

They do, however, feel horrified.


	16. Stop in the Name of Love

**_A/N: _**_I'm going to be finishing this fic by the end of next week. This chapter is an extra one that wasn't in the outline of seventeen chapters (there now will be eighteen). I just wanted to write some fluffy scenes I had in my head, and I think the story can use a little bit of reprieve before the intense ending in the next two chapters._

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen: **Stop (the Investigation) in the Name of Love

* * *

Korra asks with a sloppy smile, "Can I get used to waking up to this face?"

She lies on a ship in an uncomfortable blue bunk. Asami shares it with her, with Yumi in one of her own across from them. Yumi is the reason they must leave the South Pole. Someone claiming to be her father surfaced and in order to progress the serial killer case Yumi needs to identify the guy.

None of that worries that Avatar, because when Korra woke a few seconds ago, Asami was hovering over her. She still is.

"Maybe," Asami teases, her lips twitching. "Do you like this face?"

"Of course I do. It's a very nice face," Korra smoothly replies, grinning as she sits up. "It's one I really missed after we broke up."

Asami averts her eyes but cannot hide her faint smile.

"I…" Asami never had to force these words out before, but she does right now. "I love you."

"I love you too," Korra replies without hesitation.

Her lips brush against Asami's before Yumi wails from the other side of the room. They quickly slip apart and turn to their surrogate daughter.

Yumi cries, "I wanna color!"

Asami and Korra cannot help but indulge her at great lengths.

[X]

Setting her hand on Yumi's head, Asami looks down at the drawing the little girl makes with the official pens of the ship's captain. He was easily swayed by the Avatar making a demand for "world peace security" as she phrased it.

Yumi paints herself playing with little bugs.

"Were those your toys?" Asami asks, patting Yumi's head once and then retracting her hand.

"Yeah," Yumi says, blinking twice.

"I had toy bugs too. We used to get them from the market over in the Dragon Flat Burroughs. This old firebending woman who smithed plastic sold them." Asami closes her eyes as she remembers it. The scent of vendor food on the streets, the bustle of people as she clung onto her parents, the way her mother absolutely hated the toys but loved her daughter enough to buy them.

They barely had any money then but they made it happen.

"What's wrong?" slurs Yumi, furrowing her brow.

"I was just remembering my parents." Pause. "They're gone now."

"Mine too," says Yumi. Her calm unnerves Asami, but she sweeps away those thoughts. Children struggle to understand death the way adults do. They fear it less.

"I didn't behave very well when I was a little girl," Asami says to Yumi. "My dad never had the heart discipline me. My mom was fair about it and once I got older I couldn't blame her for being the strict parent, but I was so angry at her whenever I got in trouble. My dad used to let me out of my room when she locked me in it for a timeout and he would give my toys back if I asked."

Yumi blithely remarks, "He sounds fun."

"He was," Asami says, sitting down now. "They were both good parents, but in their own ways. The day before my mom died, I got in trouble for disassembling the radio and losing one of the parts. She…" Pause. "She was afraid of bugs and afraid of fire. Only two things. I wasn't about to set the house on fire, so I got a bunch of my rubber toys—all of them bugs—and I put them in her closet. She was a very fashionable woman. The magazines loved her. Anyway, she went to go try on ten outfits like she always did and there were the bugs. She was so freaked out she didn't check if they were real. I was watching her while she tried to smash them with the points of her heels but… it just made them bounce around more."

Yumi laughs. "That sounds funny."

"I thought it was until the next day. That day she had to face her other worst fear and it… it wasn't as innocent as my prank with the rubber bugs. The Agni Kai Triad killed her because my dad didn't pay the protection money. It was so petty and stupid. If she had to die, I wish they had killed her to save lives." Pause. "Is that really bad to say? That feels really bad to say."

Yumi does not answer that question. She just hands Asami the picture she was drawing.

"It's for you," she warbles.

Asami warmly smiles at you.

"Thank you," she says. "I think it's beautiful."

[X]

In Republic City, Bolin delivers lunch to the police station. Mako asked him to do it and he was never one to turn down his brother. He drops all but one of the paper bags from Narook's down onto the central table, and then takes the lone survivor to Opal's desk.

She sits with old papers from Amaransu's Estate, poring over them until her eyes hurt. Mako, Zirah and Wu study the Fire Nation books on the other side of the crowded, smelly room.

"I'm painting today. Do you want to help?" Bolin says, gathering the monumental amount of courage it takes to ask. "Eska has to be at the North Pole tying up loose ends before the wedding and everything after it so I'm stuck getting my apartment ready to sell. I have to make all the walls white apparently. The green is kind of a… I'd call it a puke shade? It apparently doesn't look good to the potential buyers."

Opal holds up her hand as he takes a deep breath to say more. "You don't have to explain. One, I've been in your apartment and I can understand why no one would want to buy a place that color. Two, I'm happy to help you paint while Mako and Zirah and everybody else do some legwork."

"We just get to do armwork!" Bolin blushes when he realizes how stupid that joke was. "You know… using our arms with the paintbrushes."

He runs his hand through his hair and awkwardly smiles, expecting her to judge him.

But Opal just smiles, her eyes as admiring and kind as ever.

That was why he loved her, was it not?

[X]

After lunch, Kya pops into Lin's office. Chief Lin Beifong stares into space, lost her own thoughts. Kya taps on the table to snap her out of her reverie.

"So, thinking about seashells?" Kya asks, sitting down across from Lin.

"I'm thinking about the books Mako found and the sudden reappearance of Yumi's alleged father. This case is going to be the death of me." Pause. "But _now _I'm thinking about seashells. You might be right about how boring they are."

Kya smiles. "_I _don't think seashells are boring. _You _would think seashells are boring."

"I probably would," Lin admits, rubbing her temples. "But on the other hand, a little less excitement might be pleasant. I still don't doubt my tropical retirement."

"You should give Opal the job," Kya says. "I love Mako. He's a great kid, but I think you should give the job to Opal."

"She's not an officer; she's a journalist. Mako is my best and brightest and has put in years of solid service. It isn't a monarchy."

"That's just my suggestion, Chief."

"Chief? That's new. I like it."

"You _like _something? I'm amazed." Her eyes sparkle. Then they become unusually dull. "I told Opal everything. I know everyone in that room vowed to keep the blood transfusions a secret, but she asked me about… my wife."

"Vow aside, you never tell that story. You hardly ever talk about her anymore."

"I know, but I think the situation required it. Opal knows what we did, and she handled it pretty well. We need to be honest about this if we're going to solve the case and save more people. Lin, we—"

"Can't hide from the things we've done anymore," Lin finishes. "I agree with you. If we could just sway my mother and the princess in that direction, we'd be in a much better place."

"Well, we did less harm than them. We were just children. I know what I did to save her was wrong but I've made up for what I did. I gave back to the Universe to try to repay some of what I took from it. They haven't exactly done that yet. One slaughtered people and the other pinned it on another person."

"And they say they did it for love. One for the love of a singular person and the other for the love of a city. It's pathetic."

"_I _don't think it's pathetic. _You _think it's pathetic." Kya smiles despite the anger in her words. "Still, we keep it between the four of us in that room and Opal. She'll keep quiet. I trust her."

"I do too," Lin admits.

"Good. We're on the same page about something."

Lin grunts, "Kya, we've got no clue what we're doing."

"So, the page might be blank but we're both on it." Kya sets her hand on the desk and pushes herself to her feet. "I've got some errands to run. Have fun fantasizing about seashells."

"I'm not fantasizing about—" Kya leaves before Lin can finish the sentence.

Chief Beifong sighs into her cold coffee and copious paperwork.

[X]

Opal steps into Bolin's apartment and sees the metal cans of white paint already laid out across the room. The brand new paintbrushes lie in a pile, along with a few other supplies. He moved the furniture and all that is left to do is finally change these hideous walls.

"I have an idea," Opal says, a smile creeping onto her face. "Do you have any ink lying around?"

Bolin looks befuddled. "Ink lying around?"

"If we're going to clean up the walls, I think we should make them messy first." A mischievous smile creeps onto Opal's face and Bolin quickly replicates it.

"You are _seriously _the smartest person I know," he eagerly says, but stops himself as he goes to gather all the inkwells. "Other than Eska, obviously."

Opal forces herself to nod as he bounds off into the narrow hallway.

[X]

An hour later, Opal and Bolin have satisfactorily completed their graffiti, and reach for the white paint. Bolin stands back while Opal loads up the first paintbrush and smashes it against the wall. She begins to erase the past with the white paint. She uses it superfluously, dripping some onto the canvas Bolin laid on the floor.

He edges towards her as she begins to focus more on the paint. After she picks up her neck brush full of paint, his hand creeps to gently rest on the side of her waist. She knows she should brush him away; he is engaged. But Opal is too selfish to do that. She does not even dare lean into his touch because it might make him stop it.

She becomes messier with the paint as her skin flushes and she keeps thinking about the words she wanted to say after talking to Kya. Opal spreads the paint over the wall and it begins to drip down onto her arm. Bolin touches it, then takes her and pins her back against the dripping wet wall. She exhales softly.

He kisses her and she does not stop him, but when he pulls back, she says, "I have so much I need to tell you."

"Okay," he says, beginning to step back.

Then she changes her mind and grabs his wrist. "Rehearsed words aren't what we need right now. I can say more without them."

She presses her lips fiercely against his as he pulls off her sopping—stained splattered white—shirt. They smash into the paint once more and then slide down onto the floor, knocking over one of the buckets and staining their skin a clean white shade.

The afternoon would be perfect if it were not for the fiancée many miles away.

[X]

Korra stands on the deck of the ship. Asami has a child's drawing in one hand and a child in the other as she walks up and meets Korra. The sea breeze makes their hair billow and the salt stings their eyes and skin.

"Hey," Asami says.

"Hey," Korra replies.

Asami releases Yumi and walks forward to stand near Korra. "Did you mean it this morning? It's stuck in my head. Did you?"

"Yeah," Korra says, smiling. "I never said it enough to you before."

"I didn't either. It's just…" Asami bites her lower lip as she thinks through the insanity of her next words. "I was talking to Yumi about my parents and then I was thinking about everything that happened with us once we admitted our feelings and got together. Korra, listen to me. Bad things happen to the people I love. Sometimes I wonder if I'm cursed."

"Who would curse you?"

"I don't know. Someone might. Maybe I was born cursed."

"Maybe we all are. You're not losing me. I love you but you're not losing me. I'd take anything bad happening to me because I don't really have a choice if you're right. I can't stop loving you."

"Just…" Asami sighs. "Maybe don't say it too much. I don't want to tempt fate."

"I don't need to say it. I feel it better without words anyway. Just let me feel it so strongly that it means more than saying it."

Asami blushes. "I'd like that."

Korra confidently grins. "Me too."

Land becomes visible in the distance, cutting off their conversation.

Korra wrangles Yumi and sets her on her shoulders so she can witness the beautiful horizon.


	17. Denouement

**Chapter Seventeen: **Denouement

* * *

After leaving the docks, Korra walks into the police station with Asami and Yumi in tow. They only just got off the ship and have not even had the time to change; their clothes are crumpled and their hair mussed. Together as a small, mock family, they enter Chief Lin Beifong's office.

"Is he still here?" Korra asks, hoisting Yumi up into her arms. She feels the child's heartbeat against her own chest.

"Yes," coldly says Lin, gesturing at the steps leading down to the fortified jail. "I'll take you three to his cell to see if he's telling the truth."

They nod and walk down the stairs. Every step fills Korra's heart with more dread; she fears losing Yumi almost as much as she fears losing Asami. When the girls and Lin at last reach the cell, they finally get a good look at him. The buff man sits with his face buried in his hands. Lin taps on the bars and he looks up.

"Yumi!" he exclaims, gazing at the child with sparkling, blithe eyes.

"Daddy?" Yumi asks, puzzled, her long eyelashes fluttering. "Daddy? I thought you were gone. They said you were gone."

She extends her small hand but it does not reach the bars.

That serves as an answer. He _was _telling the truth; Yumi is his daughter. But Korra does not release the child, nor does Yumi even begin to wriggle. Her eyes remain wide, her little lips parted; she does not know how to react.

"Give me my daughter," growls the man, tensing his muscles as he stands up and strides to the bars. "You can't keep her away from me. She's sick and she needs me to keep her healthy."

"How?" asks Lin, narrowing her eyes.

"I'm the killer," he assertively says, although Lin highly doubts it. "I was killing to keep her alive. I needed to perform the treatments that prolong her life."

Korra and Asami exchange a glance. They know it must be true. Asami clutches Yumi close to her and takes several steps back.

"That's…" Korra trails off.

She looks to Asami for help. They both silently decide to run. Once they get upstairs, they stand across from each other. Yumi closes her eyes, relaxed in Korra's arms now that she leaves the jail below. She does not _need _to go back to that criminal, right?

"What do we do?" whispers Korra, wildly shaking her head.

"I don't know," Asami softly replies, fixing her gaze on her shiny shoes.

Korra asks, her sapphire eyes brimming with tears, "How do we save her?"

"We should trust Katara," Asami says. "If she says the treatments are bad…"

"What if he's right?" Korra asks.

"He can't be. Don't listen to him," Asami says. "We love Yumi and we can do this."

Korra bows her head. Yumi gently tugs at her wolf tails.

[X]

Across the Police Station, Mako at last finds what he was looking for. He rubs his tired eyes and grins from relief. The meaning of the books, the significance of the painting, what Amaransu was up to all becomes apparent after he sifts through enough old files about organized crime.

"Zirah," he says breathlessly, "have you ever heard of this terrorist group? They… they were probably the ones who bombed the palace while we were in it. This mark isn't symbolic of _Amaransu_; it's symbolic of radical Earth Kingdom extremists."

"The… Shobo-shi." Zirah looks uneasy. Mako wonders if she has dealt with them before in her life. "Okay, then we go back to the Gao Estate and try to figure out why she would use that symbol."

"And try to figure out why it would be in the Fire Nation of all places," says Mako, nodding feverishly. "These terrorists carry out suicide bombings against Fire Nation people."

"I _know _that," says Zirah, her voice shaking ever-so-slightly. "Now, can we get moving? Let's check the Gao Estate Library."

"Good plan." Mako slams shut the books, shoves them in his leather messenger bag and goes outside with Zirah to flag down a taxi.

[X]

After a traffic-ridden ride to the Gao Estate Library, Mako and Zirah head inside to investigate the symbol of the Shobi-shi that they found everywhere. The man and woman separate to go through the documents and fragments of Amaransu's possessions.

"Remember last time we were in an archive?" Mako laughs, shouting across the room. "We've been on this case for a long time."

"It feels like that," Zirah says, scratching her head and elegantly ducking down. Mako walks over to stand beside her and she quickly moves on from where she was.

Mako double checks the documents she looked through and sees a ledger with the same symbol on it. "You missed this," he says.

"Oh," Zirah nervously says. "That was nothing, I think."

"Might as well check." Mako opens it and starts to flip through. "She marks names of paintings and those she sold them to… and she marks the money she gave to the terrorists."

"But what do they have to do with serial killers?"

"Amaransu Gao could have had more than one interest," Mako says, offering a shrug.

"They were related."

"Then maybe the serial killers _did _have a connection to these extremists." Mako studies the names of those who sold paintings. "The Fire Nation made a lot of deals with her. Their money usually went directly to the terrorists. Maybe that's why the books and the painting…"

"The Fire Nation could have just been tricked. They wouldn't have a reason to fund Earth Kingdom extremists, Mako."

"Maybe they do. All of this is connected somehow." He goes and sits down at a glossy wooden table. "I just have to figure out how."

"I'm going to go check on my Aunt. I'll be back soon," Zirah says.

[X]

That same afternoon, Opal enters Lin's office. The Police Chief cracks her knuckles when her niece barges inside. What a fun day.

"Aunt Lin," Opal says, sitting down. "Can I get your advice?"

"I guess," she replies with a sigh.

"Bolin and I…" Pause. "Bolin and I had sex. I went to help him paint his house and we…" She sighs dreamily before she can stop herself. "It was incredible. But it was wrong. It was _very _wrong."

"I don't know why on Earth you chose to ask _me _about this. I'm not going to be helpful."

"You're… the closest person to me in Republic City."

"That's new. You've lived here a long time without talking to me once."

"This case changed things, Aunt Lin. I didn't know what I wanted or who I wanted to be. I left Bolin over it and I went through a lot of jobs over it and I ignored my family over it. But I know what I want to be now. I want to help people and protect them. I want to join the police force."

"_That _I can do for you. Advice on you becoming a homewrecker, not so much."

"Okay. Let's instate me into the police force then, and… I'll figure the rest out myself."

She dives right into the initiation with a moment's hesitation. Opal already has done good work for the law and no one protests to hurriedly hiring her.

Hours later, Opal exits the office after her tiring tests. She expects to go home and rest, but she sees a stocky earthbender waiting for her, holding a bouquet of flowers. Opal's face flushes and her heart begins to race.

"I called Eska. Even if you don't want to be with me… I don't think I can marry her after what I did," Bolin admits, hopefully holding out the flowers. "But… maybe you could give me a chance."

"Not here, not now," whispers Opal, touching her new badge.

"Then let's get on a train right now. Let's run away for a while. Let's do this away from here and now," Bolin says, and she struggles to decline.

Opal softly smiles. She knows how foolish she is, but she agrees, "Yeah. Let's do it."

The police can wait for her.

They tightly hug and share a fleeting kiss before gathering their things to catch the next train out of town.

[X]

Mako sits with the books in a disused wing of the Republic City Police Station in the late afternoon, still trying to figure out the connection. Suddenly, Asami hovers over him.

"I'm trying to get back with Korra," she says, sitting across from him. "There's only one loose end. What I did the night of my and Korra's anniversary."

Mako sighs and closes the tattered, ancient tome. "I don't know how to make that right. I think it's something between you two."

"I guess it is," Asami whispers, hanging her head. Mako wishes she would not be so ashamed. Korra is more than willing to give a second chance and it might be best to forget the mistake.

"You love her a lot more than you ever loved me and I've come to terms with that. I knew what we were doing and I know I shouldn't have. You're just pretty hard to resist."

Asami hates herself for her faint smile. "It will never happen again."

"I know," Mako says. "I think you two should be together. I'm the one who tried to set you up in the first place, remember? You have to take a leap of faith."

Asami rolls her emerald eyes. "As a logical person, I despise those."

Mako smiles knowingly. "Every time you order food at a restaurant it's a leap of faith," Mako casually says. "You _trust _that the chefs cook the food properly and wash their hands before they do it, but you can't know. Every leap of faith is the same as that."

Asami takes a deep breath and tries to think of a rebuttal. None comes to her.

"Any progress?" she asks, changing the subject.

"Yeah. Amaransu kept a lot of documents. She was a fan of hoarding money so she needed them. Someone Fire Nation was funding the terrorists in order to keep a bar open. Amaransu makes notes of the intended use of the money, and the letters strictly inform her of what needs to be done with the donations. All of it is either protection or acquisition of illegal goods for this one bar. I don't know why anyone would care that much about a place I've never heard of."

"I don't know. Let me see." Asami holds out a hand but before Mako can give her one of the books a huge explosion coming from the window interrupts them.

It sounds just like the one in Ba Sing Se, but so close that it leaves her ears ringing. She hits the ground; Mako throws himself over her as things crumble and burn around them.

She thinks she might be screaming but she cannot hear enough to know.

Asami closes her eyes as she inhales the smoke and drifts away.

[X]

Korra paces back and forth in the same hospital she went to when the killer stabbed Asami. She feels the same dread building in her chest. This time, it is worse. Mako has awful burns and no one will let him have visitors yet. He is in too much danger. Asami needed a little patching up, but Korra sits with her and Lin now as she waits for the discharge papers.

The nurse at last comes in with them and Asami begins to fill them out, her fingers trembling.

"Who did this?" Korra demands of the police chief.

"I don't know," says Lin. "But you can ask Yumi's father."

Korra nods. "Asami, let's get going."

"If you insist," murmurs the aching woman on the hospital bed. She coughs pointedly, but knows Korra will not take no for an answer.

When Korra and Asami reach the station, half of it is in shambles, but the prisoners in the jail cells are kept under watch. None of them have the opportunity to escape because of the bombing.

"Wait here for a minute. I think he might say more to just me," Korra says, gesturing at the scorched waiting room. Asami nods and takes her place.

Korra walks down the stairs and stands in front of Yumi's father.

"Who did this? Who bombed the police station?" demands Korra, smashing her hand against the metal bars. She twists one of them with her metalbending.

"Not the killer; not me." Yumi's father laughs. "I'm locked up here, remember?"

"You're not the killer. I can see it in your eyes," says Korra.

"Of course I am," he insists, but he protests too loudly and too falsely. "You all know the deaths were to save someone. The deaths were to save Yumi from the same sickness that claimed many of her relatives."

Korra remarks, "I didn't know that, actually."

"You want to save her, I bet," he says. "You feel like a mother to her."

Korra chews on her lip before she decides to be honest. "Yeah. Katara… a healer at the South Pole said that the treatments weren't worth it."

"The treatments require sacrificing one life to save another. I killed to save Yumi."

"Who bombed the building?"

"Oh come on. You want to know more about treatment. Even the high and mighty Avatar would go to great lengths to save those she loves. Take Yumi to the clinic. Give her the treatments I was giving her. Don't let her die when you had the opportunity to save her."

"I'm not—I love her but I'm not killing anyone else. I _won't_. It's wrong."

"It's wrong to lose her, Avatar Korra."

"Tell me who bombed the building."

"The Shobo-shi."

"Who are they?"

"Earth Kingdom extremists. They run the clinic now that the Agni Kai Triad doesn't do it. In exchange for funding, at least. You people have been getting too close to killing hundreds of people who need their help. It only makes sense for them to strike against you."

"Where is the clinic?"

"I'd never tell you. We keep it hidden for a reason."

"Would you tell me if I took Yumi there?"

"No. I don't trust you."

"Fine. Okay. Why was Asami's name on your kill list?"

"She has the right blood type to save Yumi. It would kill two birds with one stone to kill her."

"Will they go to the hospital?"

"No. They have an attack planned on a train. It's a suicide bombing and you're going to be too late to stop it."

"What train?"

"The one your brawny Earth Kingdom friend and his cute airbender girlfriend are boarding right about now. Those two got too close to the crimes and now they'll pay."

"Screw you," Korra snaps.

She grabs her coat and runs and runs.

[X]

Meanwhile, Opal and Bolin board a train heading anywhere. They have not decided where they want to end up. To the end of the line or wherever sounds good, they decide. A young girl in bright green stands, anxiously stepping from foot to foot like she is about to do a public speaking assignment at school.

Emerging from Bolin's shirt, Pabu sniffs the air, fixes his eyes on the girl, and makes an uncomfortable noise in the back of his throat. Bolin begins to soothingly pet him, but Pabu jumps down and runs out of the open train doors.

"Pabu!" screams Bolin, dashing after his fire ferret. Opal hastily follows him. "Pabu come back! We're eloping with Opal! You love Opal!"

The train doors close as they chase Pabu. Bolin and Opal suppose they will simply have to take the next one.

At that same moment, Korra and Asami run down the stairs of the train station and stare out at the tracks. The train speeds away and Korra uses her airbending and earthbending in tandem to propel herself after it. But before she can do a thing, it explodes. People scream as debris flies in every direction.

Asami catches up to the Avatar. Korra feels like the winds were knocked out of her. In the sudden chaos, Asami stumbles backwards from revulsion.

"Bolin and Opal," the Avatar whispers, her brow furrowed in pain. "We're too late."

"What do we do?" Asami whispers.

Then Korra catches sight of someone familiar in a recognizable dress. Korra points through the madness at the woman who catches sight of the Avatar and starts to run away.

"Asami! She was at the art gala! She was the one who tried to take Yumi that night!" screams Korra, starting to run after the woman in the ruby dress.

Quickly, Asami runs after the Avatar. They race through the train station until Korra tackles the woman and pins her to the ground. The woman smells strongly of the same perfume that permeates the walls of the Haunted House. She struggles for a few moments, reaching for her purse. Asami runs forward and grabs it. She picks up a knife from inside. The shiver that surges through her spine makes her wonder if it is the same one that stabbed her.

"Who are you?" Korra shouts. "What do you want?"

"I want to save my daughter and my husband," the woman shrieks, glaring at Korra with eyes that… plead to be caught. She _wants _to be taken. "That's all!"

Korra sits back but still keeps the woman pinned down. "Are you Yumi's mom? Is that why she ran to you and hugged you?"

It would explain wanting to be captured. If her husband confessed without her knowing…

"Yes, but she thought I was dead," breathlessly admits the woman. "I brought her with me the day I killed those people outside of Narook's Noodles. She's a child and you can't trust her as a witness. She's _my _child."

Korra vigorously shakes her head. "She won't be when you're in prison for the rest of your life. Or worse. You killed almost thirty people and brutally. There was no need to do that."

"I did it because of my grandfather. Kun Song was framed for crimes committed by others. I did what I did in his memory."

"So the house is yours. The shrine is yours."

"The collection of my grandfather's things—not a _shrine_—is mine but the house belonged to the _real _killer."

"And who was the real killer?"

"Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. I'm sure I smell a lot like her. I found a good deal of her perfume in her old house, the one she gifted to my grandfather in exchange for his obedience. She opened the clinic that I've been working for. Even if she stopped running it and stopped the killings decades and decades ago, it's all on her. The deaths are her fault, and Toph Beifong just covered it up because she happened to be royalty and my grandfather was just a peasant man who got mixed up in a gang."

"Killing people is on _you_. It doesn't matter about the clinic right now. What you did is messed up and wrong."

"And you wouldn't do it?"

"No."

"Not even for the pretty girl holding my purse? Would you kill to save her life?" snarls the murderer. Korra remains silent. "I thought so."

Asami averts her eyes.

A voice calls out, "Korra?"

"Opal?" Asami's eyebrows shoot up. "Opal! We caught the killer!"

Running forward the airbender says, "They like to watch their handiwork, don't they? Many get caught returning to the scene of the crime."

"I'm not a screwed up serial killer!" snarls the woman. "I'm a mother and wife protecting her family! There's a difference!"

Opal leans down. "Mutilating and torturing people to death is pretty screwed up."

Bolin, Pabu tightly in his arms, catches up to them.

The woman begins to cry as Korra bends handcuffs from a large chunk of shrapnel and Opal snaps them onto the perpetrator while reading the killer's rights.

After arresting the woman in the ruby dress, Opal turns to Asami and Korra. "We have to catch up with Zirah. She would know if that woman was telling the truth."

"Good point. Let's head to their hotel and get the truth out of the princesses," suggests Asami, and off they go.

When they arrive, the target of their investigation is nowhere to be found. Yet, Zirah is throwing papers one by one into a fire. A messenger hawk sits in her windowsill as she disposes of every envelope.

"Mako said you were retrieving those records," Opal says, walking closer to Zirah.

"I…" Zirah looks up, her eyes like two full moons.

Korra steps forward. "Why don't you tell us what you found in them?"

"Oh—I—I—I—these are from work…" begins Zirah.

Asami opens Zirah's purse and rifles through it while Korra continues their conversation, stalling for Asami and Opal to snoop around. As providence would have it, the CEO of Future Industries finds a small glass bottle inside. Akai Tsuki perfume.

Zirah looks up from Korra and strides over to grab Asami's wrist. "That isn't yours." Pause. "It isn't mine either."

"I thought this was your bag," Asami says, taking her time with each word.

"It's my Aunt's," Zirah says.

Korra crosses her arms and asks, "Where is she?"

Zirah replies, "She already went home. She did days ago."

"But this is hers?" inquires Asami, pointing at the purse.

"She forgot it. She was in a bit of a hurry to leave."

Asami pulls the perfume from the bag. "I guess our killer wasn't lying, was she? They found huge bottles of this in that old house."

"What do you mean?" Zirah asks, her voice shaking.

Asami whispers, "You know what I mean, don't you? Those terrorists got their money to run the clinic from somewhere. Was it your Aunt or was it you?"

"That's absurd. I don't know where they found their funding," Zirah says, but her voice trembles. Korra and Asami both feel the lie.

"Zirah…" Asami trails off. She knows she is about to enter a significant assumption. "You are an assets manager of a gigantic corporation. You have been dipping your fingers in the pot so that you can fund these terrorists. You're the Princess of the Fire Nation. Why would you give so much money to people who hate your country?"

"It wasn't my choice," Zirah whispers, shivering.

Korra loudly corrects, "Of course it was your choice. You always have a choice."

"She asked me to find the money and I found the money. That's all I've done. I haven't helped this _killer _and I haven't strapped bombs to my chest. I just siphoned some funds."

"Opal," Asami says, turning to her left. "Arrest her."

"With pleasure," Opal replies, smiling as she strides forward and straps the handcuffs on the assets manager.

Zirah closes her eyes as Opal hauls her away.

And the airbender says, "You're going to tell me where that clinic is.

[X]

When Opal arrives at the police station with Korra and Asami at her sides and Zirah cuffed in front of her, she sees that the wall has been patched up nicely by the construction workers outside. It still smells like scorched wood inside and an uncomfortable draft drifts through the station, but Opal manages to take her prisoner into one of the three interrogation rooms.

Zirah sits down. It takes her all of ten seconds to hastily explain, "The clinic is in an abandoned building in the Dragon Flats Burroughs. I think it used to be a bar. That's all I know."

"Korra," says Opal, "tell my Aunt Lin to organize an assault on the clinic. We have to stop them before they find out we're onto them."

"Right on it, Officer Opal," says Korra, offering a dramatic salute before bounding out of the interrogation room.

"I want to talk to Yumi's parents," says Asami, eyeing Opal closely. "I'll be back."

As soon as Asami leaves, someone else walks inside. Opal turns around and sees her grandmother leaning against the doorway.

"You caught us, huh?"

"I don't have all of the pieces yet," Opal says. "I know that there were two forces at work trying to keep us from stopping this clinic, who also had their own ends in mind. I know that the Fire Nation was funding the terrorists to keep that clinic open but I don't know why. And I know you covered up the first murders and, by doing that, caused the second set."

"I didn't know he had a kid," admits Toph.

"We found that out a long while ago. She was put up for adoption."

"Fine. I found out about the clinic and let it stay open as long as the dramatic murders stopped. We needed to peg them on a perp so that nobody would go nosing around. Kun Song fit the bill and it all worked out pretty good in my opinion."

"A lot of people died in bombings and almost thirty died at the hands of Kun Song's grandchild. That's a lot of blood on your hands."

"On _my _hands, kid. Not yours. The clinic is over with."

"Why did the Fire Nation fund it? What did the Royal Family have to gain? I know the Agni Kai Triad was involved but…"

"Did Kya tell you about her ex-wife?"

"Yeah. That's one of the ways I put these pieces together."

"She married a Fire Nation princess who was a bit older than Lin and a bit younger than Izumi. The girl's mother died too. I think you can figure out the drive behind the first murders."

Opal stares at her feet. "People would go pretty far to protect the ones they love, huh?"

"So I've heard. I don't really love anybody enough to know firsthand."

Opal smiles to herself. She knows that is a lie, but she will let her grandmother get away with it this time.

"Are you staying in town long?" Opal asks, her eyes glimmering with hope.

Toph shrugs. "Long enough for the honorary medal they're giving you."

Opal blinks. "What?"

"You didn't hear? Your Aunt Lin asked for one to happen. Beats me way. She hates pomp and formalities more than paperwork."

"What did I do to deserve one of those?"

"Ugh." Toph waves her hand. "She said something about continuing to investigate and fight for the truth and justice even after people in higher positions put themselves first. These arrests are all yours, you know?"

"My friends helped."

"So? You apparently did a lot. Maybe I'm…" Toph grimaces. "Maybe I'm a little bit proud of you. You're not too horrible for an airbender and member of the press."

"Thank you." Opal beams.

"Ugh," is all Toph replies with before she too leaves Opal alone with Zirah.

[X]

During the fuzzy conversation between Toph and Opal, Asami stands in front of a cell. Behind the bars her fingers gently touch, she sees a man and woman sitting on opposite cots.

"Which of you stabbed me?" Asami asks.

"I did," the woman says. "I did all of it. My husband needed the treatments too, so I performed the killings for him and Yumi both."

"It's genetic, isn't it? I thought Kun Song was your grandfather."

"I met my husband at the clinic," the woman explains.

"You didn't worry about Yumi then?"

"Shut up about Yumi. You'll never understand."

"I do understand. I'm afraid for her every day. I've cared for her for months like a mother while you have been running around committing heinous murders. Now, tell me more."

"There's nothing more to tell. I killed the way my grandfather was accused of killing because I was angry and I used the dead while they were still alive to save my daughter and husband. That's it."

Asami glances between the man and woman. "Did you both kill or is one of you lying?"

The woman sits up. "I did it all. He turned himself in to try to protect me, because men are painfully stupid sometimes."

The husband hangs his head. "I'm sick too, and she did so much for me. I owe her and I love her. I love her enough to die for her."

"You're sick too?" Asami asks.

He nods.

Asami hesitantly asks, "How long do you have to live?"

The woman ferociously snaps, "How long do _you _have to live, Miss Sato?"

"I'm…" Asami swallows. "I'll take good care of Yumi while you two are locked up. I promise."

The woman does sigh in defeat now.

"I know you will." She nods. "No one other than me and my husband could love her more."

"Goodbye," Asami whispers.

She flees the room.

[X]

Meanwhile, Lin stands with Zirah outside of Mako's hospital room. In five minutes, he will be allowed visitors. After being in silence since before they arrived, Lin turns to her temporary ward.

"You've made some powerful enemies. You might need a good bodyguard."

"I have a royal guard," Zirah says.

"Do you trust them?" asks Lin.

Zirah groans when she says, "Honestly, no. But my brother too."

"He gets deployed sometimes," Lin states, leaning in.

"Are you asking me to stay in Republic City?" asks Zirah. "I want to go home after all of this."

Lin shakes her head. "No, I'm just making an observation. Maybe you'd like a bodyguard you know you can trust and one who'd be very good at protecting you."

"Do you have one in mind?"

"Yeah," says Lin. "He's right through that door."

"Mako?"

"Uh-huh." Lin gets up and knocks on the door. After a few seconds, a nurse opens it and steps aside to let the four visitors in.

She confidently strides forward and sets a vase of flowers on Mako's bedside table.

"It's good to see you're feeling better. I…" Zirah looks pleadingly at Lin but the police chief shakes her head. "It's my fault you were nearly killed. I was helping pay the terrorists."

"Are you going to jail?" Mako blushes. "Not that I _want _you to go to jail. I'd hate that, actually."

"No. I'm making a trade of names and other details to get a few years of probation, a sentence enforced in the Fire Nation."

"Can I visit?" asks Mako.

"You could… live with me, if you want." Zirah blushes this time. "Oh! No! Not like that! I just need a bodyguard after turning on a powerful terrorist organization, a major triad and a lot of pissed off people who were healing loved ones at the clinic I sold out."

Mako looks to Lin. "I don't know if I can get out of my old job."

"You can," Lin says, nodding. "I'm sure Zirah will pay better. Won't she?"

"Of course. My mother would give an arm and a leg to keep me safe. Wealth beyond your imaginings, probably, since I'm a princess and, uh, I have quite a bit of my own money since I have a good, stable job and…" Zirah swallows and forces herself to keep silent.

"That sounds good," Mako rasps.

[X]

After a pompous ceremony and with a new, glistening medal on her chest, Opal Beifong stands greeting people she does not know who all seem to adore her now. After countless strangers, Lin approaches and speaks to her for the first time in days.

Opal says what she has been waiting for a long time to say. "I had way too much help to take this credit."

"You made all the vital arrests. It was you who figured out the blood transfusions and it was you who didn't take no for an answer at that morgue or that house," Lin says. "Opal, you deserve this medal. And you deserve the title of Chief Beifong."

Opal's head begins to spin. "You can't do _that_. I thought—you can't—"

"I can, and I will. In a week, I'm leaving all this madness to you. I hope you're ready, kid. It's a nightmare of a job," Lin says.

Opal asks, "What about Mako? He should be next in line."

"He accepted a job protecting Princess Zirah from the Shobo-shi and any others who might make attempts on her life. I think he'd be a good bodyguard, even if he probably won't keep his fly zipped," Lin says, smirking to herself.

Opal cocks her head to the side. "That's awfully convenient."

"Yeah, well, sometimes things are convenient." Lin winks as she walks away.

Bolin shows up next. "You ready to get out of here? The Train Station finally opened up again and I think this ride probably isn't going to blow up."

"I might prefer driving," Opal admits, rubbing at the bandage on her arm.

Bolin bows, takes Opal's hand, and kisses it. "Driving it its, m'lady. Ready to run away?"

With a sparkle in her green eyes, Opal agrees, "Yeah, but we only have a week. I have a new job waiting for me in the city."

"I'd trade anything for five minutes with you," says Bolin.

"You're so cheesy." Opal smiles and shakes her head. "I hate cheesy boys."

But, giving Bolin mixed messages, she kisses Bolin fiercely on the lips and lets him guide her away from the ceremony.

[X]

After the ceremony, Lin sits on a stone bench at Yue Bay beside Kya. "We won, I guess. Everybody involved is behind bars and that clinic is closed down for good. And if it reopens, we'll know. I'm guessing these murders will finally end."

Kya sighs as she thinks of her deceased wife. "People will die without their treatments."

Lin robotically nods. "I know. But more people would have if we didn't do something."

"You're right," Kya says. "Ready to file that paperwork and go collect those seashells?"

Lin closes her eyes and nods. "Yeah. And, while it pains me to stay this, if you're still looking for a place to land…" Lin grits her teeth and gruffly forces the words out. "Well, we'd get twice the seashells if we collect them together."

Kya grins. She has not had a soft place to land since her wife died. For a while, she lived with her mom but it never was enough. She drifted through the world and tried to find herself but nowhere ever felt like home without her.

But right now, that island sounds like just the right place for her.

"I'd love that, Lin."

"Oh, shut up," grumbles the soon-to-be-retired police chief.

Kya smiles at her, her cobalt eyes twinkling in the light.

Lin struggles to keep her face stoic and, thankfully, succeeds.

[X]

The night after the long party for Opal (albeit one missing its guest of honor), Korra sits down beside Asami on the window seat in her apartment. The new adoptive mothers finally wrangled Yumi and got her to go to sleep, and now they have some alone time. Asami sits with a diary on her lap and Korra examines it from afar.

"What's that?" Korra asks, studying the fresh, brand new notebook. She wonders if it is plans for the rebuilding of Sato Manor.

"I'm writing to Yumi. I wish my parents did it for me… and I don't know how long she'll have until we schedule her that appointment this week. Kya says we probably have twelve to nineteen more years and I really want to record them forever. And, on top of that, I want her to know everything about us and herself and there's enough space to write about the future too."

Korra hums. "That's a lotta blank pages ahead of us."

"Well," Asami begins with a smile creeping onto her red lips, "I hope we fill them up with slightly less exciting things than serial killers and extremists and dark spirits and Amon and all of that. I'm kinda ready to settle down."

Korra smirks and laughs. "The feeling isn't mutual. I'm ready for more."

"You have to be. You always will be the Avatar." Asami tears out one of the pages. "Before that awkward dinner Bolin invited us to, I almost made this for you but I stopped myself. I think the gift is overdue."

Asami folds with her beautiful, nimble fingers, a polar bear dog. Korra grins and takes it from her.

"Can you do a turtleduck next?" Korra asks, clasping her hands together.

Asami nods and quickly creates one with another white page from the journal.

Asami smirks that smirk Korra has always both loved and feared. "Okay, now I want to ride a paddleboat. I bet Yumi would like it."

"Are we seriously gonna wake up our child to drag her to the park so that we can race a turtleduck and probably fall over and die?" Korra asks, chuckling to herself.

"Yup," Asami shamelessly replies.

Korra cocks an eyebrow. "And you say you're done with adventure."

Asami blushes. "Maybe not _all _adventure."

She kisses Korra gently on the lips and rises to go wake Yumi. Tonight will be a _blast_. Asami misses racing those paddleboats despite being banned from the pond docks three times. Dating the Avatar _does _have its perks.

Korra stares after her girlfriend with a euphoric grin plastered on her face.

* * *

**Epilogue**

* * *

[excerpt from Asami Sato's _Journals to Yumi_]

_Dear Yumi,_

_Today was your first day of school. You didn't finish your summer project on time so I had to make your science experiment the night before with Korra. She isn't so great at homework, but she's good at a lot of other things. We were sleepy, so, of course, this morning you were late. My driving was reckless and by the end, the brave and bold Avatar herself was hyperventilating._

_But, hey, I got you there a minute before the bell rang._

_Korra thinks we should probably buy you a helmet for the days you're running late._

_I have to agree._

_Love,_

_Mom._

**THE END**

* * *

_**A/N: **Thank you so much for reading and thank you so much for waiting. This story has taken me a long, long time to complete. Every page view, review, favorite and follow encouraged me so much. Thanks again for reading and I truly hope you enjoyed the show.  
_

_PS. There is an unofficial prequel to this story about the original murders called Synchronicity. You can find it on my profile if you're curious about them._


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